South Africa scales up mass vaccination as 1.5M Turkish FMD doses land

SOUTH AFRICA – South Africa has intensified its response to the ongoing Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) outbreak following the arrival of a large shipment of vaccines from Turkey, thereby strengthening the country’s national vaccination campaign to control the highly contagious livestock disease.

Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen confirmed that 1.5 million Dollvet FMD vaccine doses arrived at OR Tambo International Airport on Sunday, 1 March 2026.

The successful arrival of the vaccines highlights the government’s strategy of working with private-sector partners to secure a steady pipeline of high-potency vaccines to combat the disease.

The Turkish shipment follows the earlier arrival of one million FMD vaccine doses from Argentina, produced by Biogénesis Bagó, which reached South Africa on 21 February 2026.

Together, the two consignments significantly increase the number of vaccines available for the country’s emergency vaccination programme.

Dunevax said the Turkish shipment was delayed due to geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and restricted airspace over the Gulf States, disrupting cargo routes.

Despite the delays, authorities moved quickly to distribute the available doses. State-owned vaccine producer Onderstepoort Biological Products (OBP) immediately dispatched the Argentine vaccines to provinces upon arrival.

Provincial veterinary teams, supported by both government and private veterinarians, have already begun vaccinating cattle herds in high-risk areas.

Speaking during a recent engagement with dairy farmers in the uMngeni Municipal Area, Steenhuisen stressed that restoring South Africa’s FMD-free status will require cooperation across the entire livestock value chain.

“By leveraging agents like Dunevax, we are proving that the department is willing to work with any partner who can help us protect our national herd,” Steenhuisen said.

“We are focused on action and results, and we will continue to deal decisively with every outbreak until South Africa is FMD-free.”

Authorities expect several more vaccine shipments to arrive in the coming months as part of the country’s long-term containment strategy.

FMD outbreak and impact on South Africa’s livestock sector

South Africa is facing one of its most serious Foot-and-Mouth Disease outbreaks in recent history, with nearly 1,000 confirmed cases reported across all nine provinces.

The government has already imported one million FMD vaccine doses from Argentina and 1.5 million doses from Turkey, with additional consignments expected from Brazil and India. 

At the same time, local vaccine production has been restarted at Onderstepoort Biological Products (OBP) to reduce reliance on imports. 

By early March 2026, the outbreak had spread across all provinces, affecting more than 297,000 cattle, while farmers culled over 120,000 animals to limit transmission.

Minister John Steenhuisen has declared the situation a national disaster, enabling faster coordination and resource allocation. 

Provincial veterinary teams, supported by private veterinarians, are conducting mass vaccinations in high-risk areas, with more than two million animals already inoculated

Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen has also conducted direct engagements with farmers, calling for greater cooperation across the sector to control the disease. 

Despite these efforts, the outbreak is placing heavy pressure on the agricultural sector, disrupting meat and dairy exports as trading partners impose restrictions. 

Farmers are facing financial losses running into millions of rand, while rural employment and food security are increasingly under strain.

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