(1)(a) 49000 doses of the African Horse Sickness (AHS) vaccine were produced by Onderstepoort Biological Products (OBP) between January 2022 and March 2023.
b) As of 17 May 2023, 15000 doses of the AHS vaccine are available in stock at OBP, with more vaccine doses still in quality check test.
2. No. The current available AHS doses are not sufficient for the next vaccination cycle. However, OBP is working diligently enough in preparation for making sufficient vaccines available for the upcoming vaccination season.
3. OBP is not prepared to supply its attenuated strains and serotypes to a private production entity for further development.
a) OBP’s attenuated strains and serotypes are intellectual property and a tangible asset for the OBP, the juristic person.
b) A plan/strategy to resolve shortages is currently being worked on by the OBP and will remain a priority for the entity. The objective is to ensure that vaccines are always available during vaccination season.