18 Aug 2022

The new blending and filling laboratory worth over P300 million is expected to open up new markets for the Botswana Vaccine Institute (BVI).

Speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony Wednesday to mark the start of the construction of the laboratory at the BVI premises in Gaborone, Minister of Agriculture, Mr Fidelis Molao said the facility would also give the institution added capacity to explore blending and filling of other vaccines, hence increasing its product portfolio.

Minister Molao said the building, scheduled for completion in 2024, marked phase four of the plant since its inception, with phase one being a container, which was consequently adjoined by phases two and three in 1981 and 2010 respectively.

“Today’s event represents BVI’s continued efforts to invest in infrastructure development to help it not only to keep abreast with international pharmaceutical standards but to position it well to compete regionally and globally with other vaccine manufacturers,” Mr Molao said.

The minister said in 2010, BVI launched its FMD production laboratory as a way of improving compliance to international production standards of Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP), increasing production capacity and being prepared to offer emergency antigen banks for Foot and Mouth Disease vaccines.

He said the new blending and filling laboratory would be the final piece in ensuring that the complete process of BVI production met full compliance with GMP.

Meanwhile, Mr Molao said during his travel with the BVI board to meet technical partners, Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health in France, he realised profound commitment by the French counterparts.

Therefore, he said the partnership required government to continue supporting BVI to meet its growth agenda as aligned to the goals of improved food security, promotion of local production, import substitution and value creation.

BVI general manager, Mr Andrew Madeswi said they would to invest to ensure that they kept abreast of ever-changing stringent compliance requirements as well as keep ahead of its competitors.

“We have therefore fully immersed ourselves into leading the revolution to unlock Africa’s vast livestock potential through this investment estimated to cost over P300 million,” he said.

Mr Madeswi said the facility would comprise a basement, ground floor, first floor as well as the roof, with the basement housing the technical areas and clean utilities, whereas the ground floor would house the production areas. 

The first floor will house offices, air handling unit and technical area while the roof will hold the chillers and water tank.

“In terms of area space the current facility sits at 400m² whereas the new building will be 900 m² ,” he said.

Mr Madeswi said they would have a greater capacity for blending and filling in their new facility due to an increase in the number and size of their tanks.

“The increase in the number and size of tanks will be welcome news for their customers as it will mean greater flexibility on their part to produce various batches to meet their needs. Our current facility is semi-automated whilst our new facility will be fully automated thus ensuring a high level of accuracy. Furthermore, our new facility will have a data management system that will ensure easier supervision of our processes,” he said.

He said they would also be able to better monitor temperature, humidity and pressure. He said a new filling line would be installed in their new facility that would run with the latest technology meaning less human manipulation, faster processing of filling and labeling vials and their new line would be able to accommodate 50ml, 100ml and 300ml.

“This welcome development of 50ml meant a smaller pack size for farmers which is deemed more convenient,” he said.

Mr Madeswi added that the new facility would further allow them to produce both aqueous as well as oily FMD vaccines whilst the current facility can only do aqueous. 

“This is important because we will now be able to provide FMD vaccines for all species including pigs which require oily vaccines,” he said. Ends