HOSPERSA CONCERNED BY SLOW VACCINATION PACE
HOSPERSA CONCERNED BY SLOW VACCINATION PACE
27 May 2021
Hospersa, a Union of more than 60 000 healthcare workers in the public and private health sector, has raised concerns over the sluggish pace of the COVID-19 vaccination process. The Union has criticised government for the poor handling of the registration process, long queues at vaccination stations and alleged bribing of officials to skip lines. Hospersa has called for the vaccination process to be simplified and made readily available at local chemists and general practitioners.
On 17 February 2021, South Africa began its roll-out of the COVID-19 vaccine programme with phase one (1) of the roll-out targeting 500 000 health workers. On 17 May 2021, Phase two (2) of the roll-out began and targets the remaining 600 000 health workers, pensioners and other groups with vulnerabilities in the later stages. According to the latest statistics from the Department of Health, South Africa has only administered just over 650 000 vaccines since mid-February 2021. Hospersa has criticised the slow pace at which vaccines are being administered and has called on government to open up more vaccination sites.
“Hospersa is calling on government to accelerate the pace of the vaccination process,” said Hospersa General Secretary Noel Desfontaines. “We are concerned by the sluggish pace in which vaccines are being administered whereby there is still more than 500 000 health workers that still need to get their jab. Hospersa calls on government to increase vaccination sites to ensure more health workers receive their jab as speedily as possible for the country to have a fighting chance against a possible third wave,” added Desfontaines.
“We have also received reports of poor handling of the vaccine registration process in some provinces,” said Desfontaines. “Our members have reported incidences of people pitching at vaccination sites without receiving the required sms and young people being vaccinated after paying bribes to skip the lines. There is also an element of confusion at vaccination sites as well as long waiting queues,” added Desfontaines.
“Hospersa demands that the glitches in the registration process be immediately addressed,” said Desfontaines. “The registration process should be simplified and the COVID-19 jab should be readily available like the normal flu vaccine. Government should also increase efforts in roping in more pharmacies, chemists and local general practitioners in the roll-out to accelerate the vaccination pace,” argued Desfontaines.
“There have been more than 1,5 million COVID-19 positive cases identified in South Africa with just over 2000 new cases in the past 24 hours. The slow vaccination pace and confusions in the registration process increases the public’s anxiety of a possible third wave, increased deaths and the likelihood of more lockdown regulations in an already battered and bruised economy,” concluded Desfontaines.
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For interviews please contact Hospersa Public Relations Officer Kevin Halama – 060-546-8166.
Hospersa – Worker Empowerment
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