Cape Town – There is huge concern that MEC Phophi Ramathuba and the Limpopo Department of Health ’’have not offered any semblance of a Covid-19 vaccine rollout plan’’.
DA Limpopo health spokesperson Risham Maharaj implored Health MEC Phophi Ramathuba to urgently reveal the province’s vaccine rollout plan.
This after Minister of Health Zweli Mkhize announced last night that the first 1 million doses of the Covid-19 vaccine were expected to arrive in the country on Monday.
On a trip to monitor Covid-19 compliance in Limpopo last week week, Mkhize saw the poor condition of facilities meant to be key in the pandemic response.
“It is deeply concerning that we are approximately three weeks from the vaccine being made available to the province and not even the Limpopo legislature portfolio committee on health has been informed of the rollout plan,’’ said Maharaj.
’’It is imperative that Limpopo’s rollout plan is made available so that the process is transparent and the people of Limpopo are assured that all processes and systems are ready for this mass vaccination programme.
“MEC Ramathuba must take the province into her confidence and outline the plan and systems in place to ensure the efficient, transparent and effective rollout of the vaccine in the province.
’’The Limpopo Department of Health’s rollout plan must provide the people of Limpopo with the number of people planned for vaccination in each phase of the rollout.
’’The plan must outline exactly how many workers in the healthcare sector, essential service workers, people in congregate settings, people older than 60 years, people older than 18 years with co-morbidities and the rest of the population over the age of 18 the province intends to vaccinate.
“’The province’s rollout plan further needs to outline the process that will be followed to manage the large number of people being vaccinated and managing the logistics of scheduling the vaccinations.
’’It should also indicate systems put in place to ensure that facilities offering vaccinations and individuals carrying out the vaccinating are accredited and registered. We also need to know exactly where and under which circumstances vaccines will be stored.’’
IOL