Rollout of 400m Johnson & Johnson doses in Africa kicks off

From the distribution, Botswana is expecting 1.15 million doses after paying US$7 million into the African Union arrangement in April, according to Health and Wellness minister, Edwin Dikoloti. Briefing Parliament last week, Dikoloti said government was expecting the doses between August and September.

According to an African Union statement this afternoon, part of the 400 million doses will be manufactured in South Africa, where Johnson & Johnson recently signed a fill-finish deal with Gqeberha (formerly Port Elizabeth)-based pharmaceutical firm, Aspen.