The Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) has encouraged all healthcare practitioners to utilise the various platforms available to register for the COVID-19 vaccination programme.
This call follows the launch of the Electronic Vaccine Data System (EVDS) where clinicians can self-register to get their COVID-19 immunisation, as government prepares for its historic vaccination rollout in the next coming weeks.
A self-registration portal, EVDS was launched by Health Minister, Dr Zweli Mkhize, on Wednesday. Health workers are among the first group to be vaccinated, and have been to self-register on http://vaccine.enroll.health.gov.za.
The HPCSA has also welcomed the National Department of Health’s detailed vaccination strategy, and its various roll out programmes that will be phased out across the country.
“The Council supports the strategy that vaccines have to be made available to all South Africans commencing with frontline healthcare workers, who are the most vulnerable - this is to ensure their protection and that of their families.
“There is scientific evidence as supported by the World Health Organisation and the Centre for Disease Control that the vaccine is the best defence and is extremely effective. The HPCSA encourages all healthcare practitioners, especially those on the frontline to utilise the various platforms available, both in the public and private sector to register for the vaccination programme,” the Council said.
Mkhize said more than 34 000 frontline workers have already registered, and those who have so far registered include clinical and non-clinical healthcare workers from both the public and private sectors. – SAnews.gov.za
