Author: svadmin

The South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) says it will not grant approval to vaccines that do not meet stringent standards and protocols.

SAHPRA chief executive Dr Boitumelo Semete-Makokotlela reaffirmed this stance during the authority’s webinar on the process of vaccine approval on Thursday.

This comes on the eve of a planned march to the SAHPRA offices by the Economic Freedom Fighters, which accuses the authority of not approving the use of the Sputnik V and Sinovac vaccines.

“Where products do comply, we will indeed authorise. We concern ourselves with only science and nothing else,” she said.

She said SAHPRA protocols ensure that the authority takes into account all facts.

“When we make a decision, we don’t only consider data generated from South Africa. We are working with experts – international experts – and we continuously review the emerging data around these vaccines,” Semete-Makokotlela said.

Regarding the march, she said it was the Constitutional right of every South African to protest.

“We just hope and urge the [marchers] to comply with the COVID-19 safety protocols of wearing masks and social distancing.

“Gauteng has high [infection] numbers and we really need to make sure that through non-pharmaceutical interventions, these are managed.”

The regulator’s position, she said, is that decisions are made based on the science that is behind every single vaccine.

“… The types of data we look at [are very] detailed, and the reviews that we go through. Our main concern is the science of these vaccines.

“We are evaluating the Sinovac vaccine. We are also evaluating the Sputnik vaccine. This week, we’ve received an application for Sinopharm. We are really quite busy as an organisation and the only thing we’re going to concern ourselves with is science.

“While the authority understands that this is a pandemic and understands that delays have been experienced, it is important to indicate that the safety of the public is paramount and needs to be safeguarded.

“The safety of the public takes precedence. Wherever we are of the view that the regulatory requirements are not met, we will not issue an authorisation.”

This is due to the SAHPRA’s intent to ensure that when the public gets a vaccine, the authority is confident that the vaccine is safe, said Semete-Makokotlela.

It is a similar stance that was taken on the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, of which two million doses had to be discarded due to manufacturing safety concerns raised in the United States.

“That should actually give the public confidence that as a regulator, while we are cognisant of the pandemic and the pressures that we under, where we are of the view that the safety of the public will be compromised, we will ensure that we remain independent, and we make decisions based on science.

“We will therefore not authorise what does not comply with these pillars,” Semete-Makokotlela said.

Source: South African Government News Agency

The Commission on African COVID-19 Response has shone the spotlight on the immediate urgency of accelerating COVID-19 vaccine procurement and rollout on the continent through a unified approach.

The commissioners also emphasised the critical role of health systems strengthening and public health investments as the foundation of this intervention.

The commission, chaired by President Cyril Ramaphosa and deputised by the Director of Africa Centres for Disease Control and Infection (Africa CDC), Dr John Nkengasong, held its inaugural meeting on Tuesday, 22 June 2021.

This comes after the African Union Bureau of Assembly of Heads of State and Government (AU Bureau) announced President Cyril Ramaphosa as the AU Champion on COVID-19.

This happened at the 34th Ordinary Session of the AU held on 6 February 2021, which led the South African President to establish the Commission on African COVID-19 Response.

“Despite the development of a vaccine, we are still a long way from permanently containing the pandemic, necessitating that African countries consolidate their cooperation and strengthen partnerships with all stakeholders in this crucial next phase,” President Ramaphosa said.

While many African countries are scrambling to secure life-saving vaccines to fight the spread of COVID-19, the officials believe that the commission has made great strides.

“The establishment of this commission recognises and advances the crucial role played by President Ramaphosa in driving the continental COVID-19 response during his tenure as Chair of the African Union in 2020.”

Meanwhile, the commissioners believe that critical milestones were attained, including developing and endorsing the Africa Joint Continental Strategy for COVID-19 Outbreak.

They also reflected on the establishment of the Africa Task Force for Coronavirus (AFTCOR), the development and establishment of the African Medical Supplies Platform (AMSP).

The commissioners commended the formation of the COVID-19 African Vaccine Acquisition Task Team (AVATT) to secure financing for and acquiring of vaccines.

“There has also been coordinating communications across the continent around COVID-19 as well as the contributions of the AU Bureau to the continental COVID-19 response and appointment of AU Special Envoys for the pandemic.”

The members once again reiterated their support for President Ramaphosa in his championship role to enable his continued leadership in guiding the continental response to COVID-19.

“The commission’s mandate is to identify gaps in the continental COVID-19 response strategy and propose evidence-based interventions within the scope of practice of the commission and generate evidence to assess the impact of COVID-19 on social and economic harm on the continent and propose ways to a strong recovery.”

Some of the specific areas of focus include the need to strengthen the public health workforce; continental manufacturing of diagnostics, vaccines, and therapeutics; results-oriented partnerships, and strengthening national public health institutions including the Africa CDC.

The statement said the inaugural meeting included guests from GAVI, the Vaccine Alliance, United Nations Children’s Fund, Gates Foundation, and the Open Society Foundation.

This was done to galvanise support around innovative mechanisms to secure Africa’s position in the vaccine market to address the immediate urgency of securing COVID-19 jabs vaccines for the continent.

The Bureau said the commission will work within the established African Continental Strategy structures and will be supported by a Secretariat.

“Commissioners also emphasised the cross-cutting nature of gender-related issues across all the objectives set in the terms of reference.”

The commission’s output is expected to be tabled as a standing agenda item of the AU Bureau.

Source: South African Government News Agency

GAUTENG – All communities serviced by Lenasia Police Station are advised that the Community Service Centre has been temporarily closed for decontamination after a positive Covid-19 test.

The Community Service Centre will be operating from Block B parade room next to the main entrance (big gate) opposite the SA Post Office, Eland Street, Lenasia Extension 1.

The cellphone numbers at the community service centre and sector policing will be accessible during the temporary closure.

The building will be undergoing decontamination and the community will be informed once the station is operational again.

The station management can be contacted as follows:

Station Commander: 082 493 3039

Acting VISPOL Commander: 071 675 6951

Relief Commander: 071 675 6582

Duty Officer: 082 493 6973

Communication Officer: 079 525 1428

The South African Police management apologises for any inconvenience caused during this temporary closure.

Source: South African Police Service