The United Democratic Movement (UDM) says Africa should extensively invest in developing its own vaccines that will act against all forms of coronavirus (COVID-19) variants that mutate.
This as concerns have been raised that the dominant B.1.617 variant, that has been detected in India, could reach South African shores.
It comes after fourteen Filipino crew members, who arrived at the Durban Port on a vessel from India on Sunday, tested positive for COVID-19.
India is currently facing a surge in daily COVID-19 infections and deaths.
UDM Chief Whip Nqabayomzi Kwankwa says it is important for Africa as a whole to invest heavily in the production of its own vaccine for the coronavirus.
“This is important in light of what has been happening, which people call resource hoarding around the world, where countries that have the vaccine in excess aren’t supplying it or providing it to countries that are in need,” says Kwankwa.
Kwankwa says South African pharmaceutical companies need to invest in vaccines.
“It is also important that as South Africa and pharmaceutical companies in Africa invest in the production of the vaccine that we produce a vaccine for South Africa and the people of Africa a vaccine that is going to be responsive or be able to deal with all the different variants of the virus as it mutates,” added Kwankwa.
The UDM Chief Whip also noted the importance of creating vaccines that can keep up with COVID-19 when it mutates.
“That’s very important so that you don’t end up producing a vaccine that is going to be useless as soon as the virus is going to mutate. And that requires rigorous scientific research on our part as a country and an immense investment in the resources that are required to save our people and also save the peoples of Africa,” says Kwankwa.
DA reiterates UDM’s calls
Meanwhile, the Democratic Alliance (DA) says South Africa cannot afford a new coronavirus variant. The party says there is a need to produce vaccines that can stand against all variants.
The DA says various measures should be taken to prevent the spread of the variant that has been detected in India.
DA spokesperson on Health, Siviwe Gwarube, says reports of people who tested positive for COVID-19 at the Durban and Gqeberha Ports are concerning.
“What is now needed as efficiently as possible is for the Port health officials to ensure that testing, tacking and tracking is happening at a rapid rate,” says Gwarube.
“What we cannot afford is for South Africa to be on the backfoot of SAHPRA as the regulatory body are also ready to ensure that all manufacturers who apply for permission or applying for a license, to be able to apply for vaccines in the country, are already taking into account a possible variant which could be dominant in South Africa,” Gwarube says.
Gwarube says it is crucial for the government to not wait for the emergence of the new variant, but to take precautionary measures.
COVID-19 variant detected in some parts of Africa
Kenya has detected a variant of COVID-19 that was first detected in India, the health ministry said on Wednesday. The variant was detected in five people in India who arrived in the East African nation on Thursday last week. This was shortly before Kenya banned flights to and from India.
This comes days after the same variant was detected in neighbouring country Uganda.
Tanzania has also suspended flights to and from India amid the COVID-19 surge in the Southeast Asian nation.
Africa has a growing list of East African countries that have halted flights to and from India.
The suspension is effective immediately and will apply until further notice.
In the video below, SABC News Correspondent Sarah Kimani reports on Kenya detecting the COVID-19 variant first diagnosed in India:
Vaccine hesitancy slowing Africa’s COVID-19 inoculation drive
In Africa, health experts say a combination of warnings about possible rare blood clots, the rubbishing of vaccines by some leaders and mixed messages over expiry dates have all contributed to the slow rollout across the continent.
COVID-19 has also not hit Africa’s 1.3 billion people to the extent it has ravaged some countries in Europe, Brazil, the United States and India, leaving some on the continent doubting the seriousness of the disease.
Last week, the head of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), John Nkengasong, again implored citizens to stay vigilant, calling India’s COVID-19 disaster a wake-up call.
-Additional reporting by Reuters
