Question NW706 to the Minister of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development
05 April 2023 - NW706
Breedt, Ms T to ask the Minister of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development
(1)With reference to the statement issued by Onderstepoort Biological Products that a number of animal vaccines that currently are out of stock, will be in stock by the end of February 2023, (a) what is the current status of the specified vaccines, (b) could a list be made available of the vaccines that are (i) in stock now and (ii) still out of stock and (c) by what date does she envisage the vaccines will be available; (2) whether, with regard to the vaccines that are still out of stock, any vaccines are available from other countries; if not, why not; if so, (a) which vaccines, (b) from which country and (c) will they be imported from such countries; (3) what long term solution does her department have to satisfactorily meet the vaccine demands?
Reply:
(1)(a) The current status of specified vaccines available is as follows:
|
VACCINES IN STOCK |
AVAILABILITY (Y)/(N) |
COMMENT |
|
Anaplasmosis |
Yes |
N/A |
|
Heartwater |
Yes |
N/A |
|
Redwater Asiatic |
Yes |
N/A |
|
Redwater African |
Yes |
N/A |
|
Anthrax |
Yes |
N/A |
|
Black Quarter |
Yes |
N/A |
|
Pasteurella |
Yes |
N/A |
|
Elephant Skin Disease |
Yes |
N/A |
|
Tetanus |
Yes |
N/A |
|
Bluetongue |
Yes |
Product available in stock but already invoiced to a client |
|
African Horse Sickness |
No |
Product going into production on the week ending 17 March 2023 and available on the market the week ending 7 April 2023. |
|
Lumpy Skin Disease |
No |
Product available end April 2023. |
|
Pulpy Kidney Alum |
No |
Product available end April 2023 |
|
Brucella S19 |
No |
Product available end May 2023. |
|
Brucella Rev 1 |
No |
Product available end May 2023. |
|
Rift Valley Fever Live |
Yes |
Product available in stock – minimum quantities, in planned production |
|
Rift Valley Fever Inactivated |
Yes |
Product available in stock more than 500 000doses |
|
Botulism |
No |
Product available end April 2023. |
(b)(i),(ii) List of vaccines in stock and not in stock. Please refer to the table below. Please refer to the table below.
|
(i) VACCINES IN STOCK |
(ii) VACCINES NOT IN STOCK |
|
Anaplasmosis |
Bluetongue |
|
Heartwater |
African Horse Sickness |
|
Redwater Asiatic |
Lumpy Skin Disease |
|
Redwater African |
Pulpy Kidney Alum |
|
Anthrax |
Brucella S19 |
|
Black Quarter |
Brucella Rev 1 |
|
Elephant Skin Disease |
Rift Valley Fever Live |
|
Tetanus |
Rift Valley Fever Inactivated |
|
Botulism |
- Expected date on which vaccines currently not in stock would be available: Please refer to the table below.
|
Vaccine |
Expected Date of Delivery to the Market |
|
Bluetongue |
Product awaiting Quality Control results due the week ending 10 March 2023. Product to be distributed to the market week ending the 24 March 2023. |
|
African Horse Sickness |
Product going into production on the week ending 17 March 2023 and available on the market the week ending 7 April 2023. |
|
Lumpy Skin Disease |
Product expected delivery date end April 2023. |
|
Pulpy Kidney Alum |
Product expected delivery date end April 2023. |
|
Brucella S19 |
Product expected delivery date end May 2023. |
|
Brucella Rev 1 |
Product expected delivery date end May 2023. |
|
Rift Valley Fever Live |
Product awaiting packaging and will be available to the market the week ending 17 March 2023. |
|
Rift Valley Fever Inactivated |
Product awaiting packaging and will be available to the market the week ending 17 March 2023. |
|
Botulism |
Product expected delivery date end April 2023. |
All vaccines above are scheduled for production in March 2023 and April 2023, and to undergo quality testing in April 2023 and May 2023.
2. The other vaccines that may replace unavailable vaccines are imported products of companies from other countries. Bluetongue, African Horse Sickness and probably Rift Valley Fever, as far as we know are only produced at OBP. Vaccines such as Brucella S19 may be replaced with vaccines from companies such as MSD Animal Health which makes available a vaccine known as RB 51 which has the advantage that it can be given to animals older than 8 months. A vaccine such as S19 normally has a restricted age of between 4 and 8 months. S19 provides much longer protection. Botulism may be available from combination vaccines from similar pharmaceutical companies. All other vaccines may have alternative products.
3. The Department is supporting the Entity in its three-pronged long-term strategy to satisfactorily meet market vaccine demands. The four-pronged strategy as approved by the entity includes:
- Implementing a sustainable planned and preventative maintenance programme;
- Seven-year critical equipment recapitalisation plan;
- Finding an alternative manufacturing site for its vaccines;
- Completing the Current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP) facility project; and
- To augment the Entity’s strategy, the Department will also be looking at ways of supporting the entity in its renewable energy initiative as well as infrastructure recapitalisation programme.