R3 billion donation – the first step to SA becoming a vaccine powerhouse?

A US-based, South African-born billionaire surgeon, CEO of immunotherapy company ImmunityBio and bioscientist from Gqeberha has generously vowed to invest R3 billion in South Africa’s vaccine manufacturing plans. 

Dr Patrick Soon-Shiong announced his plans to ramp up second-generation Covid-19 vaccine manufacturing in South Africa and Africa during the Sixth Access to Covid-19 tools Accelerator Facilitation Council meeting, hosted by the World Health Organisation (WHO), and co-chaired by Health Minister Zweli Mkhize, on Wednesday.

This in a bid to quell the array of Covid-19 variants plaguing the continent. 

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“Africa can, and Africa will. While South Africa has not in its own right built a vaccine since 2001, that will change,” Soon-Shiong said.

“We as an organisation will commit an initial R3 billion to capitalise on this actively in South Africa and work with Africa so the capacity and second-generation vaccinology, cell therapy and delivery systems can be implemented.”

Soon-Shiong also said there was a definite need to “worry about tropical diseases we neglected because they’re African”, and reiterated his plans to “come back to South Africa and transfer this kind of technology” – not just now, but in the future. 

“This country could catalyse the capacity-building and self-sufficiency, and the innovation for Africa and for vaccines.

“I am more convinced that not only [does South Africa] have the science, [it] has the human capital and the capacity and the desire.”

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How feasible is Covid-19 vaccine manufacturing in SA?

What could potentially throw a spanner into Soon-Shiong’s works, however, is the doubt among experts of the feasibility of manufacturing, bottling and distributing its own, second-generation vaccine. 

This after President Cyril Ramaphosa said earlier in May that the country plans to scale-up local production of the vaccine if a proposal supported by South Africa, India and the US is accepted.

ALSO READ: Indian Covid-19 variant in SA now ‘of concern’ says WHO

Division of Medical Virology at Stellenbosch University associate professor Jeff Dorfman told The Citizen earlier this week that the country’s ability to produce a meaningful amount of vaccines is doubtful. 

Ndlovu Care Hroup CEO Dr Hugo Tempelmann said full-scale production of a vaccine would be a risky investment for South Africa.

University of the Free State microbiology and food biotechnology professor Robert Bragg said the country may have the capacity to produce Covid-19 vaccines, but lacks funding in research and development. 

However, Department of Science and innovation deputy director-general of technology innovation, Dr Mmboneni Muofhe, alluded to South aria’s role in developing vaccines may be underestimated, especially in light of finished vaccine produces having been developed by South African scientists. 

And now, with Soon-Shiong’s backing, the country’s potential might just be on the verge of being realised.

Additional reporting by Simnikiwe Hlatshaneni