Steenhuisen addresses vaccine challenges and the urgent rollout of avian influenza vaccines
South Africa has launched its first national avian influenza vaccination campaign.
Image: Independent Newspapers Archives
South Africa has launched its first national avian influenza vaccination campaign as part of a sweeping overhaul of its biosecurity system, Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen announced this week.
Speaking at the Biosecurity Summit at the University of Pretoria, Steenhuisen said the vaccination programme is already underway and supported by veterinary experts from the University of Pretoria and the Agricultural Research Council.
'Vaccines have been secured, cold chain logistics are operational, and we have contracted 50 animal health technicians to support the effort on the ground,' he said.
The campaign comes after the devastating 2023 avian influenza outbreak, which triggered widespread food price shocks, supply shortages, and economic losses. Steenhuisen said the response marks a decisive shift from reactive to proactive biosecurity.
'Our approach is no longer about scrambling after a crisis has hit, but it is about building lasting systems that prevent those crises in the first place,' he said.
Steenhuisen acknowledged previous failings, including 'delays in vaccine availability; bureaucratic blockages; and insufficient surge capacity when outbreaks occur,' but said these were being addressed through structural reforms and new leadership under Deputy Director-General Dipepeneneng Serage.
He was blunt about one of the system's greatest weaknesses: vaccine production. He said performance at Onderstepoort Biological Products (OBP), the country's main vaccine supplier, has been inadequate.
'It is imperative that Onderstepoort Biological Products (OBP) improves,' he said. 'There have been backlogs, infrastructure constraints, and missed delivery windows that must not be repeated.'
He added that his office has instituted quarterly performance reviews and introduced independent oversight to ensure accountability for OBP.
Another major challenge is the shortage of veterinarians. 'Nationally, we require 400 veterinarians. We currently have around 70 in the public system,' he said.
To address this, the department is expanding training posts, creating rural internships, and mapping career pathways through the Biosecurity Hub.
Steenhuisen also proposed the creation of a National Biosecurity Compact: 'A shared commitment between government, industry, academia, and civil society' that would set baseline vaccine stock levels, clarify outbreak responsibilities, and embed data-sharing protocols.
'This is not about creating more paperwork. It is about getting everyone on the same page before the next crisis hits,' he said.
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