Health Department can't confirm nor deny that SA will pay more for vaccine

The Business Day is reporting that South Africa is paying a lot more for the vaccine than even richer countries are paying.

Five hundred and sixty-six people have died after contracting the coronavirus in South Africa bringing the death toll to 38, 854 in the last 24 hours.

With South Africa battling the grips of the second wave, 12,710 infections were picked up in the past day with the country's known number of cases to 1, 369, 426 since the start of the pandemic.

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As South Africa expects 1.5 million COVID-19 vaccine doses next month, what’s the plan to have them administered in the country?

Bongani Bingwa chats to Health Department's director-general Dr Sandile Buthelezi gives more insight on the matter.

It has really been a marathon for us to secure vaccines for South Africans. The first 1.5 million doses will be from the Serum Institute of India. We are expecting the first million on 29 January and that was confirmed on Wednesday.

Dr Sandile Buthelezi, Director-general - Health Department

The Business Day is reporting that South Africa is paying a lot more for the vaccine than even richer countries are paying.

I am not sure of the exact amounts that we will be paying. But from the data we have AstraZeneca is the cheapest. I will not say we are paying lower or higher until a full analysis has been done. Our Actual analysis are based on different scenarios.

Dr Sandile Buthelezi, Director-general - Health Department

He adds that the first doses of the vaccine will be administered to the first South Africans within the first three days of February.

Listen below to the full conversation:

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