South Africa has received a fresh shipment of two million doses of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) vaccines, with the government detailing exactly how the jabs will be distributed across all nine provinces.
Minister of Agriculture John Steenhuisen confirmed on Wednesday that the vaccines sourced from Turkish manufacturer Dollvet have already arrived in the country, with rollout expected to begin “in the next few days”.
This forms part of a broader plan to secure 11 million doses to curb the spread of the highly contagious livestock disease.
How vaccines will be shared across provinces
The department of agriculture said it would implement a “scientific, targeted allocation strategy” based on animal populations and risk levels.
From the latest tranche of Dollvet vaccines, provinces will receive:
- Eastern Cape: 135 400 doses
- Free State: 182 400 doses
- Gauteng: 124 800 doses
- KwaZulu-Natal: 192 000 doses
- Mpumalanga: 144 000 doses
- North West: 182 400 doses
- Western Cape: 150 000 doses
- Northern Cape: 100 000 doses
- Limpopo: 150 000 doses
In addition, key agricultural sectors will receive dedicated allocations, including 100 000 doses for the dairy industry, 150 000 for feedlots and 150 000 for the swine industry.
A further 239 000 doses will be kept in reserve for emergency outbreaks.
Millions of animals already vaccinated
Since February 2026, South Africa has received four million doses of FMD vaccines, including 2.5 million from Biogénesis Bagó and 1.5 million from Dollvet, on top of two million doses imported in late 2025.
This has enabled the vaccination of 2.1 million animals nationwide.
Steenhuisen added that improved monitoring systems are strengthening the rollout.
“Our strengthened surveillance and faster reporting systems are critical to these efforts. We continue to work closely with the private sector and industry bodies to ensure that our vaccination drive remains efficient,” he said.
More vaccines on the way
Steenhuisen said the two million doses are only the first batch of a six million dose order from Dollvet.
“Building on this progress, an order for an additional five million doses from Biogénesis Bagó in Argentina has been placed,” he said.
The Argentine vaccines will be delivered in two consignments – 3.5 million and 1.5 million doses – once approved by the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA).
“It needs to be made clear that the department has procured all matched vaccines currently available on the international market, and we have ensured that we have access to a steady supply,” Steenhuisen said.
FMD outbreaks a global concern
The department warned that South Africa is not alone in battling the disease.
“It is important to note that outbreaks of FMD are not unique to South Africa. FMD outbreaks are currently being experienced in various parts of the world.”
Recent outbreaks have been reported in countries including Greece, China, Cyprus, Israel and Germany, with the same SAT1 topotype 3 strain detected across parts of Europe, the Middle East and Asia.
Push to reopen global meat markets
The government hopes the mass vaccination drive will help South Africa regain its FMD-free status with vaccination, a key requirement to unlocking export markets.
“We will push forward to make sure that we achieve our goal, vaccinate the national herd to achieve World Organisation of Animal Health recognition of FMD-free status with vaccination,” Steenhuisen said.
“This will allow us to access international markets for South African red meat that have been closed for decades due to FMD.”
The government is currently finalising a new routine vaccination scheme under the Animal Diseases Act, with public submissions now under review before final publication.
