Health workers in Limpopo are expected to start receiving their coronavirus vaccinations at the Polokwane Provincial Hospital tomorrow. Preparations have already begun at the Mankweng and Polokwane hospitals.
Limpopo Premier Stan Mathabatha and Health MEC Phophi Ramathuba will launch the provincial vaccination drive at Mankweng Hospital.
“I am very excited about that. I think it was long overdue since we had an outbreak of this COVID-19. So, we are waiting for the vaccine and we are ready to get the vaccine. I’ll be one of those who will get the vaccine. I think the vaccine will help to increase those antibodies to prevent the virus,” says Blantina Chauke from the Special Outpatient Department at the Polokwane Provincial Hospital.
She has recovered from COVID-19.
Chauke says she registered herself as one of the health workers in the province to receive the vaccination.
She believes this will provide her with immunity against the virus.
Limpopo province prepares to receive the Johnson & Johnson vaccine doses:
Meanwhile, other stakeholders have accused health officials of not being transparent with information regarding the overall number of doses destined for the province.
Democratic Alliance (DA) leader in Limpopo, Jacques Smalle, says they have no official details of the inoculation process.
“We have had no formal communication by the Department of Health about the actual number of vaccines that we are supposed to be getting from Johnson & Johnson. What we are seeing from other reports is that we should be getting anything in the region of between 5 000 and 7 000 vaccines for Limpopo province.”
Democratic Nursing Organisation of South Africa’s Secretary in Limpopo, Jacob Molepo, says some nurses are battling to register online.
“Some of the nurses have not registered. Some of the nurses have not yet made up their minds, whether they are going to take the vaccine. Other nurses are still battling to register, as I have indicated that we have nurses who are working in remote areas where there is no network coverage. So, it becomes difficult for them to register online and we also have some of the nurses who are old and are not familiar with smartphones.”
