Johnson & Johsnon Promises Nine Million Doses Of Vaccine For South Africa

Health workers appear in the parking lot of Steve Biko Academy Hospital, Pretoria, South Africa (Siphiwe Sibeko / Antara, Reuters)

JAKARTA - The South African country, which has not received its first coronavirus vaccine, has been promised nine million doses of the vaccine by Johnson & Johnson. This was reported by the Business Day newspaper, Monday, January 18, citing a health ministry spokesman.

The South African government is struggling to get enough of a vaccine for COVID-19 after health workers and scientists publicly criticized the government for not moving fast enough to vaccinate its citizens.

The country has recorded more than 1.3 million cases of coronavirus infection and more than 37,000 deaths from COVID-19, which is the largest number in Africa. Business Day said the nine million doses brought the total doses of the COVID-19 vaccine that had been promised to South Africa to more than 30 million.

About 12 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine for South Africa will come from the COVAX global vaccine distribution scheme, about 12 million from the African Union arrangement, and 1.5 million from the Serum Institute of India which produces the AstraZeneca COVID vaccine.

Health ministry spokesman Lwazi Manzi did not respond to messages or phone calls seeking comment on plans to provide a vaccine for South Africa's COVID-19. Likewise, Johnson & Johsnon did not respond to an email requesting comment.

Anban Pillay, deputy director general at the South African Ministry of Health told Reuters that in addition to the 20 million doses President Cyril Ramaphosa said last week was secured, "additional vaccine doses have been secured but we cannot make an announcement until we address some issues with suppliers."

The South African health ministry also said earlier this month that it was in further negotiations with Johnson & Johnson. Local pharmaceutical company Aspen will produce the J&J COVID vaccine. However, unless a firm agreement is signed with the South African government, all vaccines will be exported.