Discussion | Calls for African pharmacists to drive vaccine production

JOHANNESBURG - The first ever Pharmacists International Federation Congress was held in the country this week and vaccines are in focus. 

The South African government urged pharmacists gathered in Cape Town to lead the way in producing affording vaccines and medicines for the continent.

It comes as African drugmaker Aspen Pharmacare is in talks around manufacturing Mpox vaccines at its facilities.

READ: First mpox vaccines due in DRC on Thursday

Africa has been hard-hit by the outbreak of Mpox which began spreading from the DRC to other sub Saharan African countries.

Thirteen African countries have reported 622 deaths this year, with a handful of those from South Africa.

Executive from Aspen Pharmacare, Stavros Nicolaou as well as CEO and President of the South African Medical Research Council, Dr Glenda Gray had a discussion with eNCAon this topic.