Africa demonstrates rocky terrain for Russian and Chinese vaccines

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) – Russia and China are vying to settle the COVID-19 vaccine in Africa, hoping to consolidate its influence on a continent where many countries have not yet administered a single shot.

But so far, vaccine donations from Beijing and Moscow have been small, the commercial offerings they offer are costly, and some African governments are wary of the lack of data.

As rich countries increase their inoculation initiatives, Africa, without the resources to preorder Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines, lags behind.

With Western nations facing criticism for hoarding supplies, flooding Africa with life-saving features would be a coup for Russia and China.

Moscow has offered 300 million doses with funding to an African Union (AU) purchase plan.

Beijing has pledged nearly a quarter of all its vaccine donations to Africa, according to data compiled by Bridge Consulting, a Beijing-based health sector adviser.

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

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

French President Emmanuel Macron says Europe and the United States risk losing influence in Africa on the issue.

However, John Nkengasong, head of the African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, warned of “vaccine diplomacy”, saying powers should not use symbolic allocations to change political influence.

“Africa will refuse to be that playing field in which we use COVID as a tool to manage relationships,” he said at a webinar organized by the Atlantic Council think tank in late February.

“It’s like you’re trying to sprinkle water on a very hot day on the kids … Then you can tick the box you made,” he said. “That’s not what we’re looking for as a continent.”

While other developing regions have targeted Russia or China, in Africa their commitment has resulted in few firearms.

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

“The number of vaccines given by China will not move the needle in any of these countries. But it is so much about optics,” said Eric Olander, co-founder of the China-Africa Project.

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

Meanwhile, the global COVAX vaccine sharing scheme delivered nearly 15 million shots to 22 African countries in its first ten days.

The team led by 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.

This will still only be enough to inoculate those most at risk.

DATA DEFICIENCY

The main vaccines in China, from the National Pharmaceutical Group of China (Sinopharm) and Sinovac, are not yet approved for emergency use by the WHO. Nor is the vaccine against Sputnik V. from Russia.

China offered South Africa, the African nation most affected by the pandemic, 2 million shots, its health minister said.

But a government official involved in the recruitment told Reuters that the lack of trial data meant Chinese vaccines were not being taken seriously for now. Sputnik V was also relegated to a second tier of vaccines. South Africa says more needs to be studied, according to the health ministry.

Even some countries that accepted donations have shunned purchases.

Uganda considered buying Chinese vaccines, but focused on COVAX for their cost and data availability, said Ombeva Malande, director of the East Africa Vaccine and Vaccination Center, which advised the government. Kenya is taking a similar line, he said.

Diana Atwine, Permanent Secretary of the Ugandan Ministry of Health, said authorities would consider affordable vaccines approved by the WHO.

The head of Kenya’s vaccine task force confirmed he was not in talks to acquire Chinese vaccines and the health ministry’s plans do not include Russian vaccines.

DOLLARS AND DOSAGE

Although COVAX catches are free for most African countries, countries that make trade agreements pay a premium.

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

“The worst that could happen now is that countries do not start vaccinating,” said Tandakha Ndiaye Dieye, a member of Senegal’s vaccine advisory group, explaining the decision.

In comparison, the Serum Institute of India sells features of AstraZeneca which it manufactures for $ 3. According to a Reuters account, the Indian government has also given more than half a million of these shots to eight African countries.

So far, Beijing has not announced funding packages to make vaccine deals more affordable in Africa.

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

RDIF said it was in “advanced negotiations” with WHO to include COVAX and could offer a single version to reduce the cost. A spokesman for GAVI, the global vaccine alliance that helps lead COVAX, said all vaccines would be considered, but first needed the approval of WHO or another strict regulatory authority.

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

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

Both China and Russia need to increase production if they hope to become the world’s leading suppliers of vaccines. For Moscow, exporting traits is politically sensitive when its own population still needs to be vaccinated.

“I don’t care if Russia will be able to administer the doses,” said W. Gyude Moore of the Center for Global Development, a Washington think tank.

“I’m worried about the way African countries will pay them … COVAX won’t be enough.”