By Bongani Mdakane
Johannesburg – Gauteng Premier David Makhura has set a target to vaccinate 67% of the province’s people, which accounts to almost 10.4 million of the population with the aim of dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic that is ravaging the world. Makhura and his executive had identified more than 150 vaccination sites at primary health-care centres with dozens of trained vaccinators to assist Gauteng people.
And this is the reason why the provincial government had taken a stance to deal with the pandemic. Based on the urgency of vaccinating essential workers, the province has so far received 16 800 doses for the vaccination of health-care workers.
Delivering the State of the Province Address on Thursday, Makhura said that Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital in Soweto had received 11 080 doses of the vaccine, while Steve Biko Academic Hospital in Pretoria have been allocated with 5 720 in order to deal with the crisis.
Through his responsibility as the premier, Makhura said that his plan is aimed at vaccinating more than 200 000 healthcare workers in phase one of the rollout in the province, in order to make sure that they get ready to focus on saving citizens’ lives.
“Since March last year, we have been through an emotional roller-coaster of pain, panic, anxiety, anger and anguish. Many lives have been lost and livelihoods destroyed. In Gauteng alone, over four hundred thousand people have contracted the coronavirus and most painfully, almost ten thousand have succumbed to Covid-19,” said Makhura.
Also read: Reigniting the Gauteng economy, part 2 of Makhura’s plan
As the vaccine rollout is in motion, Makhura told Gauteng citizens that once health workers had been vaccinated, his leadership will focus on phase two and three to make sure that more than 7 million people gets vaccinated, and those who will be on the line are essential workers and vulnerable people such as the elderly and people with comorbidities.
Makhura said, “half-a-million jobs have been lost and 42% of small businesses were forced to close with no prospect of ever re-opening.
Those who contracted the coronavirus can attest that, contrary to the views of denialists and conspiracy theorists, Covid-19 is no ordinary flu.
It is a painful and deadly desease.” With the urgency of the rollout to vaccinate the region’s population, government is also depending on scientic advice.
Partnering with companies such as IBM Research and Wits University in fighting the pandemic with artificial intelligence through vigorous ways.
Through strategic exercise, the provincial government launched a dashboard with IT company IBM and Wits to visualise the data and track Covid-19 statistics.
Also read: Makhura’s plan part 3: Revisiting Gauteng’s social policy
The province is preparing for robust health-care solutions for millions of people who use its facilities, with the aim of taking Gauteng to be effective in its ght against Covid-19. Makhura reiterated he and his team are ready to save lives in the province.
Have you read: Makhura’s plan part 4: Good governance
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