Traditional healers’ COVID-19 vaccination drive launched
JANE FURSE – The Limpopo Health MEC, Dr Phophi Ramathuba, has on Thursday, 13 May 2021, launched the Sekhukhune district COVID-19 vaccination programme for traditional health practitioners at the Jane Furse Hospital within Makhuduthamaga Local Municipality.
According to the Limpopo Department of Health the primary objective of the traditional health practitioners’ vaccination programme launch was for the department to accelerate the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic and have as many people vaccinated.
MEC Ramathuba promised all health workers in the district who had not been vaccinated yet that they should rest assured that they would get the vaccination and that the process continued contrary to rumours that it has stopped.
“The Sisonke programme has not ended as rumoured and it is continuing. It is only the clinical trial, phase 3 which was ending. We are still going to vaccinate, from Monday we continue. Now we also start with our traditional health practitioners because they are also involved in healing our people. Traditional healing dates back years ago,” said Ramathuba.
Ramathuba emphasized that traditional health practitioners needed to be vaccinated against the coronavirus pandemic spread as they also were in consultations with patience in their line of work.
Dr Conrad Tjiane, Traditional Healers Association Chairperson, expressed appreciation of the unity among traditional healers, local and provincial governments in Limpopo and attributed that to the smooth working relationship as well as communication.
Minah Bahula, Makhuduthamaga Local Municipality Mayor, appreciated the Health Department’s launch of traditional health practitioners’ COVID-19 vaccination programme in the local municipality.
Meanwhile, Limpopo Premier Chupu Mathabatha launched the second phase of COVID-19 vaccination of citizens years of age and above at the Mokopane Hospital on Monday, 17 May 2021.
The COVID-19 vaccination commenced using the Pfizer vaccine which will be administered to those who have successfully registered through the Electronic Vaccination Data System (EVDS) self enrolment platform.
The phase 2 roll-out is aimed at protecting the population against the SARS-Cov-2 virus through interrupting transmission by achievement of herd immunity and reduction of the morbidity and mortality caused by the COVID-19 disease.
