Durban – MORE than 18 000 healthcare workers have been vaccinated in KwaZulu-Natal since February 18.
Latest figures from the provincial Department of Health showed that by Tuesday this week, 18 312 healthcare workers had been vaccinated in KZN – 8 389 at Prince Mshiyeni Memorial Hospital, 4 241 at Inkosi Albert Luthuli Central Hospital (IALCH), 1 179 at Madadeni Hospital, 2 158 at Edendale Hospital, 796 at General Justice Gizenga Mpanza Regional Hospital and 1 549 at Netcare St Augustine’s Hospital.
However, the department still had a long way to go because under Phase 1, they plan on vaccinating 1 250 000 front line healthcare workers.
In under three weeks since the start of the vaccination of healthcare workers, the provincial health department vaccinated 11 780 healthcare workers at the five state vaccination sites: Prince Mshiyeni Memorial Hospital, IALCH, Madadeni Hospital, Edendale Hospital and General Justice Gizenga Mpanza Regional (Stanger) Hospital since February 18.
Initially, the vaccination programme in the province was in two hospitals, Prince Mshiyeni Memorial and Inkosi Albert Luthuli Central hospitals but four more hospitals were added as vaccination sites. More hospitals will be added as more vaccines reach South Africa.
Premier Sihle Zikalala said earlier last week they received the province’s second batch of vaccines, 15 120 doses of the Johnson & Johnson (J&J) vaccines.
“We will continue with our efforts to ensure that healthcare workers in every corner of the province will receive the vaccine, so that they can be protected,” said Zikalala.
The province had received 10 800 J&J vaccines from the first batch of vaccines.
Both Zikalala and Health MEC Nomagugu Simelane said the vaccination programme was unfolding in a phased approach.
By 6.30pm on Tuesday, nationally, 118 247 healthcare workers had been vaccinated under the Sisonke Protocol.
Meanwhile, the national Department of Health recently revealed that KZN had a total of 330 863 positive Covid-19 cases, 8 330 of them are active cases.
The province also recorded 312 761 recoveries but 9 772 deaths, including the 24 Covid-19 related deaths counted on Tuesday.
EThekwini, Umgungundlovu and King Cetshwayo districts have the highest number of Covid-19 cases and deaths recorded.
Daily News