Africa proves rocky terrain for Russian and Chinese vaccines

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) – Russia and China are rushing to stop the COVID-19 vaccine gap in Africa, hoping to bolster their influence on a continent where many countries have yet to give a single shot.

But so far, donations of vaccines from Beijing and Moscow have been small, the commercial transactions they offer are expensive and some African governments are wary of a lack of data.

As rich countries increase their vaccinations, Africa is left without the means to pre-order the Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines.

While Western countries are being criticized for storing supplies, it will be a soft grip for Russia and China to flood Africa with life-saving shots.

Moscow has offered 300 million doses with funding to an African procurement scheme.

Beijing has pledged nearly a quarter of all its vaccine donations to Africa, according to data based by Bridge Consulting, a health care advisor in Beijing.

“This is a clear manifestation of friendship between China and Africa,” China’s foreign ministry told Reuters.

“Africa is one of the most important markets for Sputnik V,” says the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), the sovereign wealth fund that markets its Sputnik V vaccine abroad.

French President Emmanuel Macron says Europe and the United States are at risk of losing Africa in the matter.

However, John Nkengasong, head of the African Center for Disease Control and Prevention, warned against ‘vaccine diplomacy’ and said forces should not use grants to limit political influence.

“Africa will refuse to be the playing field where we use COVID as a tool to manage relations,” he said at a webinar hosted by the Atlantic Council in late February.

“It looks like you’re trying to sprinkle on water on a very hot day … Then you can tick the box you did,” he said. “This is not what we as a continent want.”

While other developing regions turned to Russia or China, their involvement in Africa translated into few gunshots.

Bridge Consulting data showed that Africa received about 3.15 million shots from China – or less than 4% of vaccine exports.

“The number of vaccines that China donates is not going to move the needle in any of these countries. But it’s just as much about the optics, ”said Eric Olander, co-founder of The China-Africa Project.

Russia has sent a total of about 100,000 vaccine doses to Algeria, Tunisia and Guinea.

The global vaccine vaccine scheme COVAX delivered nearly 15 million shots to 22 African countries in the first ten days.

The facility, which is run in conjunction with the World Health Organization, GAVI and others, aims to send 35 million doses to Africa by the end of the month and 720 million by the end of 2021.

It will still be just enough to vaccinate those with the greatest risk.

DATA shortage

China’s leading vaccines – from the China National Pharmaceutical Group (Sinopharm) and Sinovac – have not yet been approved for WHO emergency use. Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine does not either.

China has offered South Africa – the African nation hardest hit by the pandemic – two million shots, its health minister said.

But a government official involved in procurement told Reuters the lack of trial data means Chinese vaccines are not being seriously considered for now. According to the Ministry of Health, Sputnik V has also been moved to a second level of vaccines.

Even some countries that accepted donations deviated from the purchases.

Uganda is considering buying Chinese vaccines, but is focused on COVAX because of its cost and data availability, says Ombeva Malande, director of the East African Center for Vaccinations and Immunization, which the government advises. Kenya is taking a similar line, he said.

Diana Atwine, permanent secretary in Uganda’s health ministry, said authorities would consider affordable vaccines approved by the WHO.

The head of Kenya’s vaccination task force confirmed that he was not in talks about obtaining Chinese vaccines, and that the Ministry of Health did not contain Russian vaccines.

DOLLARS AND DOSES

COVAX surveys are free for most African countries, but countries that do commercial transactions pay a premium.

Senegal paid $ 20 per shot for 200,000 doses of Sinopharm, a two-shot vaccine.

“The worst thing that can happen now is that countries do not start vaccinating,” said Tandakha Ndiaye Dieye, a member of Senegal’s vaccination advisory group.

By comparison, Indian Serum Institute sells AstraZeneca shots it manufactures for $ 3. The Indian government has also donated more than half a million of these shots to eight African countries, according to a Reuters version.

Beijing has so far not announced financing packages that make the price of vaccines in Africa more affordable.

At about $ 10 per dose, Sputnik V is cheaper, and RDIF told Reuters it would be even more competitive if it was subsidized via COVAX.

RDIF said it would be included in ‘advanced negotiations’ with the WHO at COVAX and that it could offer a one-off version to reduce costs. A spokesman for GAVI, the global vaccine alliance that helps lead COVAX, said all vaccines would be considered, but that they would need first approval from the WHO or another strict authority.

RDIF said some deliveries of the Sputnik V doses offered via the AU plan could begin in May.

A senior AU diplomat told Reuters that talks were taking place but no agreement had been reached. No details were released about the funding package. RDIF did not respond to Reuters’ questions about the possible deal.

Both China and Russia must increase production if they hope to become major global vaccine suppliers. For Moscow, the export of shots is politically sensitive when its own population has yet to be vaccinated.

“I’m not worried about whether Russia will be able to deliver the doses,” said W. Gyude Moore of the Center for Global Development, a think tank in Washington.

“I’m worried about how African countries are going to pay for it … COVAX is just not going to be enough.”