SA to receive 1 million FMD vaccines this Saturday

South Africa is set to receive one million doses of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) vaccine this Saturday. This was announced by Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen during the debate on President Cyril Ramaphosa’s State of the Nation Address (Sona) on Tuesday. The shipment, described as the largest single import of FMD vaccines to date, will be supplied by BioGenesis Bago.

It forms part of an intensified national response after Ramaphosa declared FMD a National Disaster last Thursday. The declaration is expected to unlock additional resources and improve coordination, as government shifts from what has been described as a fragmented, reactionary response to a coordinated, science-driven national strategy. Addressing Parliament, Steenhuisen said securing a reliable vaccine supply had been a top priority, particularly as the outbreak continues to place severe financial and emotional strain on farmers.

“This will bring much-needed relief to the most affected provinces and regions. In total, we anticipate that by the end of March, we should have received over five million vaccines from three suppliers. The Agricultural Research Council (ARC) has also produced a batch of vaccines for operational use for the first time in more than two decades.