Pixabay
Parliament's portfolio committee on health has called on provinces to target healthcare works during the first phase of the vaccine rollout.
This followed briefings by the Eastern Cape and Western Cape Departments of Health on Wednesday.
The Committee is also receiving briefings from other provinces.
In a statement, the Portfolio Committee said it expressed concern over the three districts in the Eastern Cape that have reached maximum bed capacity.
Chairperson, Dr Sibongiseni Dhlomo said, while the Committee did not get a straight answer, it wanted to know whether there would be a need to reopen field hospitals or refurbish some of the wards and convert them into Covid-19 wards to improve bed capacity.
The Acting Head of the Eastern Cape Provincial Department of Health, Dr Sibongile Zungu, presented the province's vaccine rollout plan to the Committee, highlighting that 3.7 million people would be targeted.
She said the first phase of the vaccine rollout would target an estimated 200 000 healthcare and related workers.
Phase two would target 1.5 million while the third phase would target people over the age of 18, estimated at around two million people.
Dr Dhlomo said with the exponential increase in the number of Covid-19 cases, the committee said it would be advisable for the provinces to improve their health facilities in preparation for the anticipated third and fourth waves.
He said the Committee told the Acting MEC for Health in the Eastern Cape, Xolile Nqatha and Dr Zungu that the infrastructure in the province is concerning and it needs to be addressed to ensure that healthcare facilities operate optimally in the province.
Dhlomo said the committee noted with appreciation the approval of posts in the Eastern Cape's Department of Health for the appointment of community service officers which should alleviate the challenge of staffing shortages in the department.
