South Africa receives record 3.5 million foot-and-mouth disease vaccine doses

SOUTH Africa has received the first batch of a record 3.5 million-dose consignment of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) vaccines, as government intensifies efforts to contain the outbreak and protect the country’s livestock sector.

- XOLILE MTEMBU

The Ministry of Agriculture John Steenhuisen confirmed that the initial shipment of Biogénesis Bagó vaccines arrived on Sunday, with the remainder of the consignment from Argentina expected to arrive later this week.

He urged provincial departments to prioritise rapid vaccination efforts in the coming weeks to curb the spread of the disease.

"This is the largest single consignment of FMD vaccines ever imported into South Africa. Provinces must now move with speed and urgency to scale up frontline vaccination efforts and protect our national herd of approximately 14 million cattle," said Steenhuisen.

With the arrival of the latest shipment, South Africa is expected to have secured and imported a total of 13.5 million vaccine doses by the end of May 2026.