Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta is on the second leg of his visit to South Africa and is scheduled to visit the Aspen Pharmacare factory in Gqeberha in the Eastern Cape.

Aspen produces Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccines at the plant with the capacity to produce about 220 million doses per year.

Some of the production is destined for Africa.

The Research Chair in Microfludic Bio/Chemical processing from the Nelson Mandela University, Prof Paul Watts, says the relationship between the two countries serves as an imperative in boosting vaccine production for African countries.

“I think these are two countries that have fairly strong formulations capacity. So at least, they are in that drug space already. Aspen now has the capacity to formulate the vaccine production because they have done half of it already. So, if they can do that manufacturing step they can produce more each month.”

South Africa and Kenya yesterday signed agreements to work together including health and tourism: