South Africa Can Now Be an Independent Vaccine Manufacturer, Says Ramaphosa at Plant Launch

• President Ramaphosa said that the new vaccine manufacturing plant in Cape Town will help South Africa to become an independent manufacturer
• The president added that the vaccine plant would not only benefit South Africans but the African continent as a whole
• Ramaphosa was asked how he would go about marketing the vaccines as South Africa has a xenophobic reputation in many African countries

CAPE TOWN - Dr Patrick Soon-Shiong and President Cyril Ramaphosa recently launched a Covid-19 vaccine manufacturing plant in Cape Town.

Ramaphosa said the plant will help South Africa become an independent manufacturer that does not need to rely on Western countries to donate vaccines.

The president added that the vaccine plant would not only benefit South Africans but the African continent as a whole, News24 reports. Africa is currently the continent with the lowest vaccination rate in the world.

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Ramaphosa denies xenophobia in South African healthcare

Following his statements about providing vaccines to Africa, Ramaphosa was asked how he would market the vaccines, as South Africa has a xenophobic reputation in many African countries.

The president responded by pointing to the many students, academics and medical professionals in South Africa. According to TimesLIVE, Ramaphosa said that South Africa is not xenophobic and takes "a pan-Africanist approach."

“We appreciate, recognise and embrace the role played by scientists, academics and many of our universities ... from various African countries,” said Ramaphosa.

South Africans react to new vaccine manufacturing plant

@PolisPools believes:

"This will without a doubt push their 'mandate' agenda even harder."

@Koefie55 remarked:

"The investment is in the Western Cape and not in ANC-run provinces. That must hurt."

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Soon-Shiong gives back to birthplace, gives SA a R1 bn vaccine centre in Cape Town

@DedonSydney shared:

"Our president getting involved in innovations that don't support nor improve our economy is kinda lame and disappointing too. We have water and electricity crisis in this state but he is out supporting useless things.'

@AkLaleki asked:

"Who said we want a vaccine plant in our country?"

@JanJanerJanste remarked:

"We should fix our own printers."

Soon-Shiong gives back to birthplace, builds SA R1 billion vaccine plant

In previous news about the vaccine plant, Briefly News reported that Patrick Soon-Shiong, a South African-American billionaire, launched a vaccine manufacturing plant in Cape Town that is worth an estimated R1 billion.

Soon-Shiong is a qualified bioscientist and transplant surgeon who found a healthcare start-up network called NantWorks. ImmunityBio is one of the companies in NantWorks and produces Covid-19 vaccines.

At the new vaccine plant in Cape Town, ImmunityBio will produce Covid-19 vaccines to be distributed across South Africa. By 2025, the plant aims to produce a billion vaccine doses annually.

Source: Briefly News