The “War on Foot and Mouth Disease” has reached a pivotal turning point. While political discussions regarding vaccine imports have dominated headlines since January, the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) has finally cleared the path for the physical arrival of international reinforcements. By granting Section 21 authorization for the Dollvet FMD vaccine from Turkey, the regulator has effectively moved the country from the planning phase to active large-scale containment.
Bridging the Supply Gap
The authorization comes at a critical moment for South Africa’s livestock sector. While the Agricultural Research Council (ARC) celebrated a historic milestone on 6 February by producing its first local batch of vaccines in over 20 years, that pilot run consisted of only 12,900 doses.
In contrast, the scale of the Dollvet import is massive. According to Department of Agriculture briefings, the first shipment of 1.5 million doses is scheduled to land in the third week of February, with an additional 5 million doses expected in March. For a country currently battling outbreaks in eight of its nine provinces, this influx of high-potency vaccine is the only realistic way to achieve the “ring of immunity” required to stop the virus’s spread.
The Significance of Section 21
The granting of Section 21 status by SAHPRA is more than just a bureaucratic formality. Because FMD vaccines are typically unregistered in South Africa, they cannot be used without this specific emergency legal clearance.
Under this provision, SAHPRA ensures that the Turkish vaccine has been evaluated for safety and efficacy, specifically against locally circulating strains. This “fast-track” mechanism allows the Department of Agriculture to respond to the National State of Disaster declared by President Ramaphosa on 12 February, ensuring that veterinarians have timely access to scientifically approved tools.
Strategy: From Epicenter to Perimeter
Minister of Agriculture John Steenhuisen has emphasized that the distribution of these millions of doses will follow a strictly controlled, state-led strategy. The primary goal for this first 1.5 million-dose batch is to protect high-risk zones and create a buffer between infected regions and the remaining FMD-free provinces, such as the Northern Cape.
SAHPRA and the Department have warned that vaccination must only take place within officially approved programs. Unregulated vaccination risks masking infections and could delay the country’s ability to prove to the world that the virus is truly under control.
The Road to FMD-Free Status
The ultimate prize remains the restoration of South Africa’s FMD-free status with the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH). To achieve this, the country must demonstrate 12 months of zero transmission.
The arrival of the Dollvet FMD vaccine represents the first time in recent history that South African authorities will have the sheer volume of supply needed to conduct a massive, synchronized vaccination campaign. With the regulatory “green light” now official, the livestock industry is finally seeing a clear path toward economic recovery and the resumption of international trade.