South Africa has sold its entire stock of one million doses of the AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine to the African Union and the money has already been banked, Health Minister Zweli Mkhize confirmed on Tuesday.
The minister, who did not disclose the cost of the transaction, said the deal with the AU would see the continental body distribute the vaccines to 14 African states who need to use the jabs.
Pretoria’s move to sell the AstraZeneca drugs comes after the country suspended use of the Oxford University-inspired Covid-19 drug, saying the vaccines was not effective in tackling a mutant variant first detected late last year.
According to Mkhize, AU and South African teams have ensured that all logistical arrangements were in place for the shipment of the vaccines to the various destinations.
“We are pleased to announce that the first batch of vaccines that are being delivered will benefit 14 member states in Africa,” he said.
South Africa, which bought the vaccines from India, took delivery of the drug on 1 February amid pomp and ceremony at the OR Tambo International Airport in the presence of President Cyril Ramaphosa and some cabinet members in Johannesburg.
However, a week later Mkhize shocked the nation by announcing that his government had suspended the use of the double-dosed AstraZeneca vaccines in favour of the single shot Johnson & Johnson doses for their efficacy in fighting the mutant variant.
Meanwhile, the country’s Covid-19 related deaths have reached 52,196 since the outbreak in March 2020, the minister said.
NM/jn/APA