SA is urging agencies to purchase Covid vaccines made in Africa.

President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa has asked foreign organizations and donor agencies to purchase Covid vaccinations made in Africa.

While speaking at a worldwide summit on Covid on Thursday, President Ramaphosa said this will "ensure the developing competencies on the continent are kept."

"International agencies who have had a lot of money contributed to them for purchasing and procuring vaccinations for developing-economy countries are not buying vaccines from African vaccine makers," he said.

It comes as a South African vaccine maker faces halting manufacturing due to a shortage of orders.

Due to poor demand, Aspen Pharmacare recently announced that it may have to shut down its South African plant.

In November, the business reached an agreement with Johnson & Johnson to package and commercialize the vaccine across Africa.

It was hailed as a victory for vaccine development and distribution in Africa. Despite facing a new wave of the virus, the continent still has poor vaccination coverage.

Fewer than one in every six Africans has received two doses of the coronavirus vaccine, with many Africans unwilling to be vaccinated.

Mr. Ramaphosa said on Thursday that his government was still pushing for an intellectual property waiver to facilitate global vaccine availability.