Western Cape mobilises resources for vaccine registration

POLITICAL NEWS - By the end of June 2021, the National Department of Health aims to vaccinate 5 million people over the age of 60.

However, approximately only 1.2 million people have been registered country-wide for the start of Phase 2.

As the DA in the Western Cape, we are concerned about the challenges of the national registration system, as it is not conducive to the environment many of our elderly and rural residents find themselves in.

MPP Wendy Philander comments: “The provincial government supports a responsible process in ensuring initial challenges are ironed-out and to accommodate the conditions of those of a vulnerable age. We applaud the province’s efforts by working with old-age homes, making available 75 Cape Access Centres and public libraries in over 15 municipalities as measures to ease the registration process.

I will further engage with respective bodies for elder-care homes to enquire if their residents are registered and if not, what challenges stand in the way by interrogating and supporting the removal the stumbling blocks they may face.

We are aware of an increase in cases in the Western Cape though to a significantly lesser extent compared to other provinces - where 3rd waves are underway. This is why an agile vaccination process, including the vitally important registration component is key to mitigating the intensity and impact on the surge of infections amongst residents.

"We know that vaccines work in reducing the spread and severity of Covid-19, and so we have to do everything possible to make sure eligible residents are registered for their jabs.”

The reality is that not all elderly and vulnerable residents have access to the technology needed to register for the vaccines. Whilst we support the provincial government’s efforts to register as many qualifying residents as possible, national government has had many months to develop systems that cater for all and make registration accessible.