Avatar photo

By Citizen Reporter

Journalist


Healthcare workers flood Steve Biko hospital

The health department has called on healthcare workers to register on the portal for vaccinations to be managed properly.


Gauteng Health MEC Dr Nomathemba Mokgethi has reassured healthcare workers in the province none of them will be excluded from the vaccination programme.

This was after some of them flooded the Steve Biko Academic Hospital on Sunday, fearing the vaccine supplies might run out before they get their jabs.

“We want to reassure our healthcare workers there is no need to panic as none of them will be left behind. To do so would be catastrophic and will leave the system exposed as they are an integral part of the healthcare system,” Mokgethi said.

“The implementation study is being rolled out in phases, starting with the Steve Biko Academic Hospital and the Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital to both private and public frontline workers. All our facilities in the province will be covered as the vaccine gets delivered.”

ALSO READ: One-third of 80 000 vaccines will be allocated to private sector in the next 14 days

Gauteng has received 16 800 Johnson & Johnson doses, which are now being administered at Chris Hani (11 080 doses) in Soweto and Steve Biko (5 720 doses) in Tshwane.

As of Saturday, 2 134 healthcare workers had been vaccinated, including organised labour leaders who are also health professionals.

The total number of vaccines administered is 15 388.

The vaccination drive will be in three phases, with phase one starting with frontline healthcare workers and phase 2 focusing on the vaccination of essential workers, persons in congregate settings, people over 60 years and people over 18 years with comorbidities.

Phase 3 will focus on those older than 18 years.

ALSO READ: Vaccines that are being rolled out, under trial or in development

Mokgethi further called on Gauteng healthcare workers to register on the Vaccine Data System portal to ensure vaccinations are properly managed.

“This is important in order to manage the flow of traffic to the vaccination sites and to avoid a situation where people show up when they have no appointment.”

Compiled by Vhahangwele Nemakonde

For more news your way, download The Citizen’s app for iOS and Android.

For more news your way

Download our app and read this and other great stories on the move. Available for Android and iOS.