JOHANNESBURG, Nov. 11 (Xinhua) -- South African Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi on Tuesday launched the country's first clinical trial for an oral cholera vaccine fully developed and manufactured in South Africa.
"For the first time in history, a vaccine ready for a pivotal clinical trial has been developed and produced from start to finish right here on South African soil," Motsoaledi said during the launching ceremony held at the Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital in Johannesburg.
"This milestone is about reclaiming our country's capability to innovate, to manufacture vaccines, and to protect the health of our own people, the people of Africa, and global recipients through global procurement processes," the health minister added.
Although South Africa is not a cholera-endemic country, it has experienced sporadic outbreaks that have claimed lives, often following outbreaks in neighboring countries.
In February 2024, the Department of Health reported 46 cases of cholera, most of which were imported after severe outbreaks in Zambia and Zimbabwe that resulted in hundreds of deaths.
Motsoaledi noted that previous pandemics exposed the dangers of relying entirely on imported vaccines, leaving the African continent among the last to receive COVID-19 vaccines from manufacturers.
"Building local vaccine manufacturing capability is not a luxury; it is a national necessity. It ensures that our people are not left behind when the next global health crisis strikes," Motsoaledi stressed.
