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Onderstepoort Biological Products (OBP) SOC Ltd confirms that it is aware of clients’ concerns about the availability of certain critical vaccines for the impending vaccination season. With the assistance of the country’s weather authorities (South African Weather Service), we are aware of and have observed the weather events leading to persistent rain in certain parts of the country, which is likely to lead to disease outbreaks.
In this regard, we would like to share the latest information on vaccine availability with clients and the market:
- African horse sickness: This vaccine is already undergoing standard quality control testing and will be available within days after the quality control test, which takes seven days.
- Bluetongue: This will be available before 20 December 2022.
- Lumpy skin disease: Vaccine is in stock.
Read more about how African diseases need African solutions here.
- African redwater, Asian redwater, tick-borne gall sickness and heartwater: These vaccines will be available by 2 December 2022.
- Rift Valley Fever (live): The vaccine is available, and we are currently producing other batches which will be available end of January 2023.
Read more about how the Western Cape deals with African horse sickness here.
As a business, we continue with our equipment maintenance and repairs programme while putting in place sustainable business continuity strategies. OBP’s facility and equipment strategy comprising short-, medium-, and long-term repairs, replacements and augmentations, is being implemented. This strategy was necessary to avert future production disruptions.
OBP is proud that the availability of vaccines will assist in ensuring that outbreaks of diseases are prevented. OBP encourages producers to vaccinate immediately once the vaccines are available. We undertake to update our clients on progress in this regard. – Press release, OBP
OBP on vaccine delays, improved efficiencies and communication
Not only is Onderstepoort Biological Products (OBP) solely responsible for the biosecurity of the national herd, but media coverage of the state of disease outbreaks, such as African horse sickness, has also been largely misleading. This is according to Luvuyo Mabombo, interim CEO of OBP, during the organisation’s first media briefing in seven years.
Read more here.
