SA Medical Association reiterates for government to allow GP’s to administer COVID-19 vaccinces

The South African Medical Association (SAMA) has reiterated its call for government to work towards allowing general practitioners (GPs) to administer COVID-19 vaccines – saying the move would help to accelerate the uptake of jabs.

Currently, the public can only receive COVID-19 vaccines and booster shots from a designated public or private vaccination site. SAMA Chairperson is Doctor Angelique Coetzee.

“We need to sit with the National Department of Health, they need to fix their problems or they are going to lose GPs. If you look at the current vaccination rates, it is not where it is supposed to be and there are a lot of patients that we have seen, when they come into your surgery and you ask them why they are not vaccinated – it is not so much that they are anti-vaxxers – but I can promise you that if I have a vaccine in my surgery and I say I have it here, can I quickly jab you? They will allow me to do that. So we are losing a number of patients, especially those with comorbidities, who you can motivate in your surgery.”

National Health Department responds to SAMA’s call

The National Department of Health says it is working on the challenges facing general practitioners (GPs) – who are willing to begin the administration of Covid19 vaccines. It follows calls from the SAMA’s for government to allow GPs to administer COVID-19 vaccines – saying the move would help accelerate the uptake of jabs.

Currently, the public can only receive COVID-19 vaccines and booster shots from a designated public or private vaccination site. The Health Department’s Acting Chief Director is Dr Lesley Bamford.

“We are aware of the issues. My understanding is that there have been some discussions with SAMA on what is an administrative but very important step. We cannot supply vaccines to anyone who puts up their hand and says they are a GP. We do need some verification process to verify that the person is a GP and meets the requirements for vaccinating.”

SA could have a slight surge in COVID-19 infections in coming weeks: SAMA

The South African Medical Association (SAMA) believes that South Africa will experience a slight surge in COVID-19 infections in the coming weeks as the festive season draws to an end.

Coetzee earlier in the month said they also expect the reopening of schools to contribute to the rise in infections in the next few weeks.

Coetzee says, “I think we will see a slight surge, not a very big one, especially in a week or two after the schools start, then I think it will come down again.”

“A lot of people has been infected with omicron without them even knowing and people who I have seen in my own surgery that they don’t tend to go and test that easily anymore, they just accept that it may be COVID-19 and I’m getting better and I’m not going to get tested. We just need to see what the next week or two is going to bring into the numbers game,” adds Coetzee.