Today we received news from Hugo Tempelman. He gives an update on the current status of vaccinations at the Ndlovu Care Group:
“Sisonke means “together” in the Zulu language and is the name for the first COVID-19 vaccination program for healthcare workers in South Africa.
In South Africa, the registration of COVID-19 vaccines has taken a slower pace than in the rest of the world as authorities follow the FDA and EMA. This has meant that there is a high demand for vaccines, but there are still no options available, as the approval process has been delayed and developed countries have bought up the entire global supply of vaccines produced anyway, with no thought to equal distribution between LMICs (Low and Middle Income Countries) and higher income countries.
The Phase III trials of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine were a great success not only in South Africa, but in all participating countries.
There were only a few adverse events and no major problems. It was therefore decided to extend the trial in South Africa and continue the vaccination program for healthcare workers with the J&J vaccine as an open trial. This at least allowed the vaccination program to begin and healthcare workers to be vaccinated before the third wave of the epidemic arrived in South Africa.
Johnson and Johnson donated 500,000 vaccines for this program.
Ndlovu Care Group was approached to be the responsible partner for the Department of Health in Limpopo Province and within three months managed to vaccinate 43,237 health care workers and other frontline workers until the national vaccination program starts with the national roll-out program on 17 May 2021. We are about to enter the third wave and at least the majority of Health Care Workers are vaccinated and well prepared to provide the services needed in the coming months.
Ndlovu Care Group is very proud of its contribution to the Sisonke program, which was duly acknowledged by our Provincial MEC for Health, Dr. Phopi Ramathuba.”
