Mass FMD vaccination to begin in KZN with 1 million doses

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The first batch of FMD vaccines, supplied by Biogénesis Bagó, arrived on 21 February 2026. The Department of Agriculture said it is the largest single consignment of FMD vaccines ever imported into the country.

The vaccination programme is part of the Department of Agriculture’s 10-Year Strategic Plan to protect the national herd. Vaccinations will begin in the highest-risk areas before moving to lower-risk regions.

Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen will officially kick off the mass vaccination drive at Colbourne Dairy Farm near Mooi River, uMngeni Municipality, on 27 February 2026. He will also meet with dairy farmers at Karkloof Country Club later that morning, followed by a formal media briefing.

Millions more vaccine doses have been procured and are expected to arrive in South Africa in the coming weeks, supporting the broader rollout across the national herd.