Premier Zamani Saul has confirmed they are expecting vaccines to be delivered to the province between February 7 and 9, as per the plan of the national government. Briefing the media on the province’s roll-out plan, Saul - alongside Health MEC Maruping Lekwene - declared the province ready for the first phase of the roll-out plan. He said 10 000 healthcare workers are within the public sector while 4 000 are from the private sector. Saul further announced that phase 1 will include a roll-out to 15 centres across the province.

“The rollout will take a three-phased approach that begins with the most vulnerable in our population. Phase 1 will focus on frontline healthcare workers. Phase 2 will see us vaccinate essential workers, persons in congregate settings, persons over 60 years and persons over 18 years with comorbidities, and Phase 3 will focus on the remaining population,” said Saul.

The Robert Mangaliso Sobukwe Tertiary Hospital in Kimberley will receive 2 080 doses of the vaccine from Wednesday 10 February, the Dr Harry Surtie Regional Hospital in Upington will receive 910 doses of the vaccine from 12 February, District Hospitals in Springbok, Kuruman and De Aar will receive 2 390 doses from 15 February, while all other hospitals will receive 970 doses from 22 February. Saul has confirmed Primary Health Care Clinics and Community Health Care Centres will receive 1 790 doses from 1 March while 1 310 doses will be reserved for all other clinical support staff.

Saul has further confirmed that all necessary security measures have been put into place to ensure the safekeeping of vaccines.

“In the Northern Cape the aim is to vaccinate 67% of the population, or just under 900 000 people, by the end of the year,” he said.

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