Covid-19: Johnson & Johnson backtrack on export of vaccines made in Africa
The Johnson & Johnson vaccine has an overall effectiveness of 66% but is said to be injectable in a single dose and easier to store.
JUSTIN TALLIS AFP / File
Text by: RFI Follow
2 min
Doses of Johnson & Johnson vaccine produced in South Africa will now be primarily distributed to the African continent.
Until now, an arrangement has allowed Europe to import the doses produced in the south of the country.
A decision formalized Thursday, September 2, 2021, at an African Union press conference, while the continent faces supply problems and struggles to vaccinate its population.
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With our correspondent in Johannesburg
,
Claire Bargelès
While less than 3% of the African population is currently fully vaccinated, the agreement which pushed the South African company Aspen to export its doses outside the continent was sharply criticized.
Just under 20 million
doses of Johnson & Johnson
, assembled and packaged at this Port Elizabeth plant, have been shipped to Europe, according to Strive Masiyiwa, African Union special envoy.
This agreement is now suspended
, and "
all vaccines produced by Aspen will remain in Africa and will be distributed to Africa,
" he said.
In addition, doses already exported and currently stored will be returned.
The European Union has also pledged to give 200 million DU doses by the end of December.
The contract between the South African company and the American giant Johnson & Johnson could also change in nature, also added Strive Masiyiwa: Aspen could produce the vaccine under license, and no longer as a subcontractor, and therefore have control. on the final product and its distribution, like the Serum Institute in India.
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Coronavirus
Vaccines
Africa
South Africa
European Union
African Union