Applaud Phaahla for several strategies to roll out vaccines

DR JOE Phaahla, who was deputy to ex-minister of health Dr Zweli Mkhize, was appointed minister of health on August 5 by President Cyril Ramaphosa.

The World Health Organization had hoped 40% of populations across Africa would have been fully vaccinated by the end of December. Sadly, this target was not met.

According to statistics, more than 200000 people have died of Covid-19 since the beginning of the pandemic in Africa, of which close to 100000 occurred in South Africa as there have been concerns the official death toll does not reflect the accurate number of deaths from Covid-19 in the country.

The high number of infections and deaths in South Africa is to be expected, as South Africa has absorbed millions of foreign nationals who flock into the country daily, placing a huge burden on the Department of Health and its human and material resources.

Credit must be given to Phaahla who has come up with several strategies to roll out vaccines to many sections of the population against an ever-growing resistance from vaccine denialists, even though there is undeniable evidence that the only way to fight the scurge of Covid-19 in all its mutations, is through vaccination.

We owe the low death levels since the advent of Covid-19 to the consistent efforts of the Department of Health and all the health professionals who have risked their lives daily, to care for the people of this country. They deserve our collective applause.

Midrand