President Cyril Ramaphosa said he was pleased that the Department of Health and the Inter-Ministerial Committee on vaccinations agreed to establish the mass vaccination sites because they worked very well.
The president spoke at the Discovery Vaccination Centre located at the Gallagher Estate in Midrand on July 29 after conducting an oversight visit and observing the facility, along with Gauteng Premier David Makhura, acting Health Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi and Gauteng Health MEC Dr Nomathemba Mokgethi.
Ramaphosa said he was able to see how a mass vaccination site worked and was pleased that there was quite a bit of innovation. “The premier informed me that they are establishing drive-through sites, which the minister has endorsed, where many more people could not get vaccinated.”
He said the objective of his visit was also to encourage South Africans to be vaccinated, adding that they have lowered the age groups and wanted as many of those age groups eligible to get a vaccine.
Ramaphosa added that they would make certain the government achieved their 300 000 vaccinations a day target and that the number of vaccinations were on the rise. “The minister assured me that they would hit the target and exceed it. This is happening throughout the country, as the process of vaccinations is underway, we are really in full steam when it comes to vaccinations.
“I think we are doing very well. We have a good surplus of vaccines. What I saw here and in Tembisa is really fantastic, great work is being done in Gauteng and a number of other places. Because of the complaints that a number of our people had to spend money to travel to vaccinations centres, I have said that I want the vaccination points to go where people are.”
Mokgethi was also pleased with the progress. She said the level of people coming to get vaccinated has lowered, however, they were marketing all the sites they have opened, five so far. “We opened one in Ekurhuleni which is open on Saturdays and Sundays, Baragwanath which is also doing well, and operating on weekends. I think the highest we have reached so far was 61 000 in one day. We really are encouraging our people to vaccinate.
“We know that there are some fake news and misconceptions about the vaccines, but we are trying every time to tell our people that there is nothing wrong with the vaccines.”
