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Gauteng Health said that they are aiming to vaccine 10.72 million people by the end of 2021, with health workers the first to get the jab.
Dumisani Malele, Head of medical supplies in the Gauteng Department of Health, said that as from next week Monday the vaccine roll out will begin next week starting with health care Frontliners.
The government has informed us that probably by the end of this week we will be able to get our vaccine and our plan is to start the vaccinations by the first of February, depending on the availability and when the vaccine comes in,” he said.
Roll out plan
Gauteng
The Gauteng Department of Health said it would use the same methodology as the national department to roll out its programme. Spokesperson, Kwara Kekana said the strategy would be divided into three phases.
“The first phase which involves the frontline healthcare workers, about 150 000 in both the public and the private sector,” she said.
The second phase has been divided into four categories, first are the essential workers – the police, teachers, military; second will be the people in congregated areas like prisons, shelters and old age homes.
“Third are all people over the age of 60 years and the fourth category will be all above the age of 18 with co-morbidities. The following will be all people over the age of 18,” Kekana.
Western Cape
The Western Cape Government says it has developed a strategy to ensure that vaccines are rolled out safely, efficiently and ethically when the first doses arrive. Spokesperson Nomawethu Sbukwana said they have already started the work to put the correct systems in place to manage the massive operation.
Eastern Cape
The Eastern Cape Health Department said it planned to vaccinate 3.7 million people within six to nine months. Spokesperson Judakazi Ngoloyi said based on their plan, each vaccinator will be required to vaccinate at least 50 people per day to meet the set target.
“Therefore, 571 vaccinators will need to be employed. The province has 794 clinics, CHC and hospitals that will need to service 5 414 residential areas,” he said.
North West
The North West government said it was still busy finalising its plan which would see vaccine Coordinating Committees which include political and technical expertise being set up.
Premier Job Mokgoro said he had tasked the department of health and the committees to determine the state of readiness to roll-out the vaccine but responding to 23 key questions that would also help to keep track of progress.
“I have also tasked them with indicating if there is budget available and if not, what is the shortfall and what is the cost-sharing agreement between public and private sectors in the North West,” he said.
Fress State
Free State Health spokesperson Mondli Mvambi said the province was still finalising its plan which would be ready by this week.
“The provincial plan is being worked out and is to be finalised by week of January 25 to January 29 2021 to ensure that the province is adequately capacitated to implement the vaccine rollout as outlined by the minister. These will be done according to the provincial vaccination plan which is currently undergoing thorough consultations with the facilities where vaccination and collection for storage will be done,” said Mvambi.
Mvambi added that the province has 47 vaccination sites for the first phase of the rollout, and 30 collection sites which would serve as vaccine storage sites.
“At least 17 private hospitals will also be designated as vaccination sites but not collection sites because they do not meet the storage requirements of the manufactures.”
KwaZulu-Natal
The provincial department of health said their strategy was still being finalised and would be communicated at a later stage. Spokesperson, Ntokozo Maphisa said: “When everything has been finalised and approved by the cabinet, the KZN Premier and KZN Health MEC will hold a media briefing to address the public.”
Mpumalanga
In Mpumalanga, the department said the draft plan was available but the department was busy with consultations. “We are unable to give more details until all the consultation processes are complete,” said Chris Nobela.
Malele said that systems have been put in place to ensure that meticulous data records are kept for those who receive their COVID-19 jabs.
“There is an electronic data system that will be able to look at the number of people that are coming, so every time a person comes to receive their vaccine they will be recorded and there will be an alert system that will inform them that they must come in for their next dose which is usually between 28 days and up to three months,” he said.
“In terms of the distribution, the vaccines will be coming from national [government] through a service provider who will be distributing these vaccines. We have enlisted our pharmacies and the vaccines will be distributed to the various districts in our province.”