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The launch of the Pfizer / BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine is well underway in the UK, US and Canada.
In South Africa, Johnson & Johnson is the first to apply for Covid-19 vaccine registration in the country, while at least four coronavirus vaccine candidates are being evaluated.
While developing countries may only start receiving large-scale vaccine delivery in the second half of 2021, Clicks and Dis-Chem are in a unique position to support the launch of the Covid-19 vaccine in South Africa, from distribution to administration of the vaccine, says Jeremy Gorven, senior analyst at Stonehage Fleming Equity Management South Africa.
During the last 12 months, these two groups of pharmacies jointly conducted 1.5 million patient consultations through their clinical infrastructure, dispensing about 50% of the country’s medications, while Clicks only administered 273,000 flu vaccines .
For vaccine manufacturers to supply to South Africa, they must seek approval from the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA).
In anticipation of requests, SAHPRA has undertaken a preparation program. The decision on how vaccines are distributed rests with the National Department of Health.
Generally, licensed pharmacies, hospitals and dispensing physicians can order SAHPRA-approved vaccines, Gorven said.
As confirmed by President Ramaphosa in his latest national address, South Africa has completed all the necessary processes to be part of COVAX, the World Health Organization’s equitable vaccine distribution scheme, which aims to provide 2 billion doses by the end of 2021 in low- and middle-income countries at a maximum cost of $ 3 per dose.
South Africa hopes to receive enough COVAX vaccines for 10% of its population by early 2021, Gorven said.
He said South Africa is not well prepared for the Pfizer / BioNTech vaccine given its extreme cold chain requirements, but is more likely to access vaccines from Novavax, Johnson & Johnson and Oxford AstraZeneca.
The vaccines these pharmaceuticals are testing are stored at refrigerator temperature, are cheaper than Pfizer and Moderna, and between them a manufacturing capacity of 6 billion doses per year is being established, Gorven said.
Johnson & Johnson has contracted with Aspen Pharmaceuticals to produce 300 million vaccines in South Africa. Production may begin in the second quarter of 2021. “It is not clear how much of these vaccines may be available to South Africans,” Gorven said.
Bill Gates, whose foundation has been funding vaccine development, expects Johnson & Johnson and Novavax’s Covid-19 vaccines to complete phase III drug trials by February 2021. Gates has further stated that he expects these vaccines to prove themselves ‘very effective and safe’.
From the factory gate to vaccine administration
Clicks Group and Dis-Chem Pharmacies, the analyst said, have the infrastructure, skills and knowledge on a national scale to support the vaccination of the South African public.
“At this stage, it is unclear when a vaccine might arrive and how access will be determined.”
Clicks’ bulk distributor, UPD, is the market leader in the distribution of medications from manufacturing facilities to wholesale facilities. UPD currently serves Aspen, and UPD may distribute a portion of the Johnson & Johnson vaccines, which Aspen is producing.
With a footprint of 772 pharmacies and a 45% dispensary market share, Clicks and Dis-Chem are within close range of the majority of South Africa’s population, Gorven noted.
Both groups have played an active role in Covid-19 testing and antibody testing, including the launch of mobile clinics and gas stations by Dis-Chem. These services can be adapted to include vaccination efforts.
Together, the two groups operate 479 clinics equipped with vaccine refrigerators, employ 450 full-time nurses, and over the past 12 months have performed more than 1.5 million patient visits, including immunizations.
“Both pharmacists and nurses administer flu vaccines annually. In 2020, Clicks pharmacists administered 273,000 flu vaccines, 29% of the total in South Africa in the private healthcare market. “
Once the candidates for the Covid-19 vaccine have been approved, the national Department of Health will determine their access and distribution.
Meanwhile, SAHPRA controls the deployment of all health products in the country, including monitoring, evaluation and registration.
Read: South Africa receives the first application of the Covid-19 vaccine
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