Tshwane metro to fix issues at phase 2 vaccination sites (Audio)

While not all potential vaccination sites are ready, residents have been assured that concerns around sites raised by Gauteng Cogta MEC Lebogang Maile last week would be addressed.

“Not all potential sites were ready,” said Maile, following a visit to vaccination sites at Saulsville and Atteridgeville.

“Not all ablution facilities were working, but we heard the municipality will fix all the facilities by the time the roll-out starts.”

He said it was important that all sites identified had perfect working facilities.

Maile said his department was not happy with suggestions of tents being erected as vaccination sites as this was not necessary when the metro had the likes of community halls.

“Erecting a temporary structure is a lot of money,” he said.

“It’s going to require other resources like ablution facilities, water and the like.”

Maile said, however, he believed that the metro was on track with rolling out the vaccination programme.

This is the Tshwane metro plans to vaccinate 1.1-million people during phase 2, which kicks off 1 May.

This phase entails essential workers, persons in congregate settings, persons over 60-years and persons over 18-years with co-morbidities to be vaccinated.

Tshwane health MMC Sakkie du Plooy told Rekord that the metro would fix issues at the multipurpose centre in Atteridgeville.

He said in terms of generators, the metro was still looking at the concern, as it had planned to keep the vaccines at nearby clinics.

“Generators are not a crisis because the vaccines will not be stored on-site. However, they will be transported to facilities, such as nearby clinics.”

He said this was because the vaccines had to be stored under prescribed temperatures.

Du Plooy said the visits showed that health facilities in Tshwane were in fact ready to support the national vaccination programme.

He also revealed that the metro had not finalised the list of potential vaccination sites as yet.

“We are working with the province to identify sites in each region to ensure that vaccination will be accessible to all who qualify. The final list will be announced once sites have been assessed and approved by the relevant governance structures.”

Potential sites may include community halls and churches.

“All these sites will be assessed to ensure they qualify.”

He encouraged qualifying individuals to register as soon as they can for the vaccine.

Vaccination would possibly be administered by 655 city trained health personnel.

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