Minister @DrZweliMkhize committs to uploading MAC Vaccine ADVISORIES by end of briefing. Commits to urgency and expediting availability.

#Vaccines
#nocovidmonopolies

#1Country1Plan https://twitter.com/_HassanF/status/1345758514631880705

Aim for 67% of population. First HCWs, then elderly and those with co-morbidities.

Mainly COVAX. Balance of funds being secured from govt. when 'COVAX delivers'.

Aiming for earlier date than COVAX. Depends on bilat negotiations with phrma. No DRUG Company has CONFIRMED.

Medical schemes being included and through PMBs (amending reg.ns), public-private initiatives being set up. Task Team/s set up for medical schemes and govt and priv sector (BUSA).

3 funding sourcees: Govt., Medical Schemes, Priv. Sector.

NDAs signed by Govt. with drug companies for several bi-lateral negotiations (I BET NO PATENT LIFTING...).

Working with @SAHPRA1 for early fast track approval of vaccines for 'urgent attention'.

Distrbution structures being set up at district level. With CSOs and traditional structures. !
@tianjohnson

Deal with misconceptions around vaccine hesitancy.

Dealing*

President @PresidencyZA @CyrilRamaphosa also has Africa Vaccine Acquisition Task Team (AVATT) which Min appears to now also sit on...

Minister has been personally involved in some discussions with phrma.

President has reached out to stakeholders in Africa to look at how 'manufacturers' play their part to assist (closest ref to phrma power).

That we and continent 'not get left behind', 'we are working behind the scenes'.

PPP TASK TEAM - with private sector - to secure $ funding for 67% vaccination aim.

I am in despair, even in THIS PANDEMIC, our government is unable to ensure no patent restrictions-does not seem like it is going that way at all so far in this briefing. Grateful for a few temp. deals, but global south is a time bomb, world needs rapid scale up of manufacturing

And then this: Spot the outlier...

And of course, the current speaker, wrote this today: https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2021-01-03-the-covid-19-vaccine-and-the-danger-of-creating-false-expectations/

Shem, civil society - we only NB to 'make communities understand' - for door to door...

DDG (why is DG not presenting?) says 3 ways to give out a vaccine (that we still waiting for abd will pay who knows what): http://1.work  based,
2.outreach / mobile, PHCs
3.vaccination centres for remote areas too.

And then, here we go: it ALL 'DEPENDS ON SUPPLIES - IF AVAILABLE'.

May use s21 special use, and looking at expedited approval with @SAHPRA1 - not all drug co sent data

May use emergency procurement (read: we may pay what phrma wants us to pay...
-where is @CompComSA to review prices BEFORE? OTHERWISE PANDEMIC gouging will happen).

Phrma negotiations/ many meetings: China, India, Pfizer, AstraZ, Cipla?, Moderna, JandJ.

(NDAs with public money is shameful!)

I ain't tweeting all of this...so here is a photo:

Ah CIPLAnow makes sense- SERUM/ @AstraZeneca @UniofOxford - but *tiered
pricing* (WATCH)

@JNJNews @aspenpharma (seems DDG pushing this one)

I think he just said @moderna_tx is acting silly ... (was it someone else?)

COVAX - THE BLACK BOX -
So, we wait (not critique).
And expect 2nd Q 2021.

(Hence, deadline as I said before, was a big fat red herring...)

???

Who pays the COVAX balance of payment?

Where are the many women business leaders?

So we not pursuing price control or patent restrictions - phrma triumphs?

Hayibo!!!!

Wait- did we just convince @GovernmentZA on #1Country1Plan -so with a single, equitable allocation systemwhere med schemes cannot ALLOCATE in parallel?!!

Oh my.

So much info shared this evening, though alot being kept under wrap and by drug co. NDAs.

Why coudn't @GovernmentZA simply reply *in writing* to a letter asking these very questions from mid-Nov 2020 by @HealthJusticeIn ...major state capacity issues...

Our recourse against phrma will now it seema be at the @CompComSA for price examination, given public funding of several of these potential vaccine candidates. #nocovidmonopolies
#nopandemicgouging

Good thing @HealthJusticeIn & @ezintsha in JULY 2020 asked that @CompComSA work out pre-emptive price regulation of COVID19 products (so that we don't wait *after* deals signed).
Over to drug companies to PROVE PRICE IS CORRECT. Share data & either way, remember Dischem/Babelegi.

Did not fully understand answer on Russia / Sputnik.

Good for @DrZweliMkhize to mention and appreciate public's anxiety and uncertainty - not getting angry or defensive.

Hope @HealthZA gives a briefing every 3 to 5 days until roll out is complete.

We need info, not whispers...

@GCISMedia

We have NO price control over COVAX, as a MIC, we are at the mercy of the COVAX BOARD, a private foundation, no transparency at all.
Big black box.
Cost: approx ZAR 2 BILL.

Minister:
NO JUSTIFICATION for rich countries to hoard vaccines, 'release it'. And 'we fight behind the scenes'.

Come on, say to drug companies to *not profit* in a pandemic. It is OUR public money.

@PresidencyZA may still phone some companies and say 'come on'!

I hope @pfizer @JNJNews @aspenpharma @CiplaRSA @AstraZeneca @UniofOxford @BioNTech_Group and others are listening.

South Africans are tired of waiting, of paying too much, of being blocked.

Salute HCWs.

NOT A SINGLE MENTION THAT @GovernmentZA is also leading a TRIPS WAIVER REQUEST IN GENEVA asking for global IP RULES to be waived in this pandemic...

@HealthZA
@the_dti

Why?

These drug companies have out negotiatiated so many countries, even ours, NDAs aside, so shameful, even COVAX allows this...

We did warn. Months ago.

I am as confused as everyone else about the role of GEMS and Parmed and Polmed in vaccine procurement, distribution and allocation...

Ends with nothing material on TRIPS WAIVER status quo...

Over and out.