South Africa's medicines regulator is urging government to end its suspension of the J&J vaccine. The J&J programme was halted following blood clot cases in the US. But SAHPRA says there are no major safety concerns and it is suggesting closer monitoring of high-risk individuals instead. Chairperson of Parliament's Health Portfolio Committee Sibongiseni Dhlomo speaks to #eNCA. Courtesy #DStv403
JOHANNESBURG - Parliament's Health Portfolio Committee chair, Sibongiseni Dhlomo, is urging health Minister Zweli Mkhize to settle concerns about the Johnson and Johnson vaccine.
Dhlomo is, however, confident South Africa will be able to restart the J&J Sisonke vaccination program soon.
That is after its rollout was halted following blood clot cases in the US.
But the SA Health Products Regulatory Authority says there are no major safety concerns.
It is also suggesting closer monitoring of high-risk individuals instead.
"Their negotiations, their findings with the scientists in the country in liaison with the other scientists in the world should actually allow us to start again," says Parliamentary Health Portfolio Committee, Sibongiseni Dhlomo.
"We're actually understanding [that] we can't ignore international opinion. However, our situation is that we must work quickly and faster and remove that as a factor to restart the program," says Dhlomo.
He says that SAHPRA is correct that other countries are looking into the vaccine's efficacy and safety. As the portfolio committee they are urging the health minister and scientists to look into it quickly and expediate the program restart.
Watch the interview above for more details on this story
