Health
(a) With the information available to her Department, what portion of the nationally procured vaccine will be allocated to the Western Cape and (b) what are the particulars of the planned roll-out strategy by her Department of the acquired vaccine announced by Minister Mkhize in terms of the (i) criteria for the prioritisation of the first recipients, (ii) role of district health bodies for distribution and (iii) availability of healthcare workers to roll out the vaccine;
(b) which avenues are being explored by the Western Cape to ensure the acquisition of sufficient doses of a COVID-19 vaccine to support the process at national government level?
(a) On 7th January 2021 the National Minister of Health announced that South Africa will acquire 1 000 000 doses of the Covishield vaccine from the Serum Institute of India by the end of January and a further 500 000 doses in February 2021. The National Department is in still in the process of finalising the allocation to provinces.
(b)(i) The Department has developed an implementation framework that describes the detail and is available on request. The vaccine roll out will occur in phases and the immediate focus is on Phase I. Health workers will be vaccinated in phase I. This will include HCWS from the public sector (province, COCT), the private sector as well as HCWs in NPOs and traditional healers. Depending on the availability of doses, further prioritization may be required. The principles for prioritization within phase one centres around risk of exposure and risk of severe disease as shown below.
Category 1 | Health workers conducting aerosol-generating procedures (i.e., intubation, ventilation, taking COVID-19 specimens |
Category 2 | Health workers in direct contact with people known to be suspected COVID-19 cases |
Category 3 | Health workers in contact with people not suspected to have COVID-19 |
Category 4 | Health workers that are not in direct contact with patients |
(ii) The Department has made a decision to take responsibility for the distribution of vaccines in the province for both the public and private sector. A centralised distribution from the Cape Medical Depot (CMD) enhances the efficiencies of stock management in the province enabling the shifting of vaccines and consumables with the use of data. The CMD will make deliveries to all primary delivery/collection sites prior to the start of the vaccination programme in both metro and rural districts, stock dependent. A delivery schedule will be provided to the districts prior to the vaccines being sent to facilities. Security and controls will be strengthened at the CMD and at sites to protect the vaccine stock at all levels of the health system and while it is in transit.
(iii) The Department is undertaking micro planning to ensure that adequate numbers of suitably qualified health workers are trained to become COVID-19 vaccinators and available at all vaccine sites. A similar approach is being undertaken in the private sector. In some instances, final year medical and nursing students could be used as vaccinators, working under supervision. A training programme is being developed to equip vaccinators with the most up to date information, ensuring the safe and efficient administering of the vaccine.
The National Government will be the sole purchaser of the COVID-19 vaccines in South Africa and is involved in several bilateral engagements with vaccine suppliers, over and above the COVAX arrangements. The cabinet is exploring the need for contingency planning regarding the procurement of vaccines.
