For Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I’m Nadine Ramdass.

Making headlines: Launch of teacher vaccination programme hailed a success; SADC commits to enhance capacities in pharmaceuticals research, manufacturing; And, Africa CDC says continent not winning against 'brutal' Covid-19 pandemic

Launch of teacher vaccination programme hailed a success

The Department of Basic Education declared the first day of the teacher vaccination programme on Wednesday a success, with 48 000 jabs being administered.

This figure excludes the Western Cape and Limpopo, which will start administering the vaccines in earnest on Thursday and Friday, respectively.

Only 30 teachers were vaccinated in the Western Cape, for launch purposes.

Limpopo didn't vaccinate today in line with their plan," the department added.

SADC commits to enhance capacities in pharmaceuticals research, manufacturing

The Extraordinary Summit of the Southern African Development Community called for the end of vaccine nationalism and for equal access to vaccines for all countries, while it committed to enhancing SADC regional and national capacities in research and in the manufacturing of pharmaceuticals.

The Summit was held in Maputo, in Mozambique, on Wednesday, as a follow-up of the Extraordinary SADC Double Troika Summit that took place on May 27.

The Summit also committed to enhance the promotion of traditional and alternative medicines, and the development of vaccines.

The Summit urged SADC Member States and the international community to support the proposal for a temporary waiver of certain provisions of the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights to allow more countries to produce Covid-19 vaccines, for a more efficient response to the Covid-19 pandemic.

And, Africa CDC says continent not winning against 'brutal' Covid-19 pandemic

Africa is not winning its fight against the Covid-19 pandemic as a third wave of the virus sweeps the continent and countries struggle to access enough vaccines for their populations, Africa CDC director John Nkengasong said on Thursday.

The African Union’s COVAX programme, co-led by the World Health Organization, for fair distribution of vaccines, is now planning a shake-up as it has been shunned by rich countries and is failing to meet the needs of the poorest, internal documents seen by Reuters show.

Nkengasong said he was more worried about getting vaccines in time regardless of where the doses came from.

That’s a roundup of news making headlines today

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