President Cyril Ramaphosa will on Wednesday, 19 January 2022, join Dr Patrick Soon-Shiong, founder of the multinational conglomerate NantWorks, LLC, in launching the NantSA vaccine manufacturing campus at Brackengate, Cape Town.

The President and Dr Soon-Shiong will also launch the Coalition to Accelerate Africa’s Access to Advanced Healthcare (The AAAH Coalition).

NantSA, a division of NantWorks, and The AAAH Coalition aim to accelerate domestic production of pharmaceuticals, biologics and vaccines that will reach patients across the African continent.

Through the synergistic efforts of  members of The AAAH Coalition, self-reliance will be accelerated around next-generation vaccines manufactured in South Africa for Africa, innovative therapeutics and pandemic preparedness.

With the support of the Chan Soon-Shiong Family Foundation, institutes for infectious disease and cancer centres of excellence will be established at the universities of Cape Town and the Witwatersrand and the Chan Soon-Shiong Centre for Epidemic Response and Innovation (CSS CERI) at the University of Stellenbosch.

The launch of The AAAH Coalition and NantSA’s vaccine manufacturing campus follows the announcement made by Dr Soon-Shiong on 23 September 2021 of an ambitious initiative to build capacity for advanced health care in Africa.

The launch of the manufacturing facility will take place at the Brackengate Business Park in Brackenfell where President Ramaphosa and Dr Soon-Shiong will perform a ribbon-cutting for the official launch of the NantSA vaccine manufacturing campus at Brackengate and present the vision and mission of The AAAH Coalitions

This event will be attended by a select group of invitees including representatives of government, academia and the biotech industry.

A hybrid media briefing and media Q&A will take place with President Ramaphosa and Dr Patrick Soon-Shiong.

The launch and interactive media session will be streamed live on all PresidencyZA and GovZA digital platforms as follows:

Date: Wednesday, 19 January 2022

Time: 10:40

Media are invited to participate in the hybrid media session, where they will be given an opportunity to ask questions as follows:

Date: Wednesday, 19 January 2022

Time: 12:00 for 12:30

Virtual platform: Zoom (details will be provided to media who RSVP)

Media representatives are asked to submit the following details for accreditation: name, surname, media house and a photo of your media card to Ireen@gcis.gov.za by no later than 10h00, Tuesday, 18 January 2022.

Media enquires: Acting Spokesperson to the President, Tyrone Seale at media@presidency.gov.za