A Fin24 article relates how the private sector has joined the race to get the nation to herd immunity status as soon as possible.
“As South Africa races against time amid a wildly spreading third wave of Covid-19 infections, medical schemes and insurers are opening more vaccination sites to speed up inoculations.”
“Discovery Health’s new Gallagher Convention Centre-based mass vaccination site in Midrand is the insurer’s sixth Covid-19 inoculation site. It is targeting to reach 3.5 million people who live in close proximity to the facility. The company said this site was one of the largest vaccination centres countrywide and included more than 48 full-time vaccinators and 150 clinical and support staff.”
“Together with its other vaccination sites, Discovery Health’s target is to deliver 40 000 vaccinations per day at the peak of the rollout – as it has extended its operating hours.”
“Jurie Strydom, CEO of Sanlam Life and Savings, said since the opening, these facilities have been refined to get more people vaccinated.”
“It is important that large, private-sector employers play their part as an extension of South Africa’s vaccine programme so that we can encourage every eligible person to get vaccinated and to experience for themselves that the process is smooth and effective,” he said.
“Outside of the medical schemes industry, more companies are rolling out employer vaccination sites too.”
“As per the Covid-19 vaccination protocols, the Electronic Vaccination Data System (EVDS) will refer people to these sites.”
Private sector and NHI
President Ramaphosa has called on the private sector to take hands with the government to revive the economy, a call which has so far elicited a substantial number of investment undertakings.
There are, however, some instances where possible political influences are hampering progress.
The stubborn persistence to push ahead with the National Health Insurance is one glaring example. No one can deny the dire need for health services, particularly for the poorer sector of the population, to be drastically improved. The pandemic has made this even more urgent. But it has also highlighted the incompetence of people promoted to positions beyond their ability, to the detriment of the most vulnerable. Add to this the prevalence of looting, wasted expenditure and the like, and you have the perfect recipe for disaster.
There is no money for the NHI. Assuring the public that there will be strong financial disciplines does not even fool the most optimistic supporter of the drive for implementation of such a pipe dream.
The private sector’s success in utilising its expertise to aid the state with the vaccination drive has shown what it can do when cooperating with the state, rather than competing for survival.
Imagine what would happen if these resources could be applied to resuscitate the ailing state health facilities, rather than starting a new venture, untested, based on outdated research?
No need to call in Einstein or Albert Schweitzer.
Just plain logic.
