LISTED speciality pharmaceutical company Aspen Pharmacare confirmed the release of the first supplies of the Johnson & Johnson Covid-19 vaccines to South Africa, from its flagship site in Gqeberha, Eastern Cape.
The vaccines, from a new API source located in Europe, will be released to Johnson & Johnson from Aspen’s Gqeberha-based manufacturing site later on Monday.
It comes after president Cyril Ramaphosa on Sunday evening pledged to substantially increase the rate of vaccination in the country in the coming weeks.
These vaccines, Aspen said, will be further distributed throughout South Africa in line with the various distribution arrangements between Johnson & Johnson, the National Department of Health and other stakeholders.
In addition, vaccines from these batches will be made available through the African Vaccine Acquisition Task Team/African Union platform, the group said in a statement on Monday (26 July).
“This represents a significant landmark for South Africa and Africa as
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