COVID-19 vaccination procurement and contract management in a South African context

Abstract

This article examines the lessons learnt and opportunities created to strengthen future procurement and contract management in the public health sector. In a rigid and highly regulated public sector procurement landscape, the COVID-19 vaccine procurement and vaccine roll-out activated not usually used regulations, policies and standards. The article views the COVID-19 vaccine rollout programme through a procurement and contract management lens focusing on two key segments in the COVID-19 vaccine programme – namely COVID-19 vaccine procurement and vaccine delivery into health facilities. To date, 60 million COVID-19 vaccine doses have been successfully procured and delivered to South Africa. The South African National Department of Health is integrating the COVID-19 vaccine programme into its national immunisation programme while also preparing to launch the National Health Insurance. The overall lessons learnt during the COVID-19 vaccine roll-out can be utilised to strengthen future procurement and contract management in the public health sector.