We welcome Minister of Health, Dr Zweli Mkhize’s announcement earlier today that Serum Institute of India will give South Africa 1 million does on AstraZeneca this month and 500 000 more in February, to vaccinate healthcare workers, both in the private and public professions.
Dr Mkhize’s firm commitment in prioritizing the protection of our health workers by ensuring they receive the vaccine soonest, must be applauded.
As SANAC Civil Society Forum, we urge Dr Mkhize to include COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS and Health Professionals working in the Civil Society Sector as part of the health workforce, in the phase one vaccine roll out.
SANAC Co-Chairperson, Steve Letsike said due to the urgency, our best chance of staying safe from COVID-19 including the new variant is really to have vaccines, diagnostics and treatments that are available for all, adding that the idea of access to the vaccine through phases must be clear in not dividing the HCWs.
Letsike added, “we must guard against the process to ensure that communities are empowered, informed, as mobilised for a people’s vaccine not a profit vaccine”. Government must ensure to work clearly and transparently with civil society in reaching out to communities.”
The AstraZeneca vaccine is a two-dose vaccine. So the 1.5 million doses would be enough for two-shot protection for 750,000 health workers. Minister Mkhize must elaborate further as to how this first batch, in the coming weeks, will be administered.
Governance and oversight structures must include meaningful participation of civil society and our hope is that there are adequate plans in place to distribute and administer them appropriately and timeously. We caution the use of the vaccine roll out for political leverage and rampant looting, as witnessed with the PPE scandals.
We look forward to this process to be undertaken by South African Health Products Regulatory (SAHPR) to ensure that there are no unnecessary delays or regulatory impediments to activate this roll out.
Government must lead the acquisition of vaccines using funds from the fiscus and not delegate this to the whims of business using the Solidarity Fund as their proxy for maximizing profits. With the experience of ARVs being stolen by HCW, we call on clear security measures to ensure that the vaccine does not go missing in the hands of depot and facilities. As civil society, we look forward to an engaged, efficient and effective roll out for healthcare workers.
#ENDS#
For media enquiries and interviews, contact:
Oliver Meth on 068 352 9045
or email oliver@sanaccsf.org.za