Question NW11 to the Minister of Health
25 February 2022 - NW11
Shivambu, Mr F to ask the Minister of Health
(1)What (a) total number of COVID-19 vaccines are approved for usage in the Republic and (b) are the names of such vaccines; (2) (a) what total number of vaccines has the Government procured to date from each approved vaccine supplier and (b) at what price; (3) which legal provisions does his department rely on to enjoy the exclusive rights to procure vaccines from approved suppliers; (4) what total amount has his department spent on the procurement of COVID-19 vaccines to date?
Reply:
(1) (a) There are four vaccines approved for use in the Republic.
(b) (i) Covid-19 vaccine Jannsen
(ii) Pfizer Comirnaty
(iii) Coronavac (Curanto Pharma); and
(iv) BBIBP-CortV-Vaccine (Sinopharm) [MC Pharma]
(2) (a) (i) Covid-19 vaccine Jannsen - 31 000 000 doses
(ii) Pfizer Comirnaty - 30 002 310 doses plus 1 392 300 doses through the COVAX Facility
(b) The pricing information cannot be shared as we are bound by non-disclosure agreements with manufacturers.
(3) There is no law that gives the government exclusive rights to procure vaccines from approved suppliers. However, with regards to COVID-19 vaccines, manufacturers opted to contract exclusively with government to make vaccines equitably available.
(4) The Department has spent approximately R 6 billion on vaccines to date.
END.