vaccination
Sister Celente Malan, one of the trained vaccinators at Groote Schuur Hospital, shows how a vaccination is done. This is a mock-up: Sister Rowena Jacobs, who was vaccinated three weeks ago, is also one of the vaccinators. The hospital has 18 vaccination booths. Photo: Elsabé Brits

The Cape Town International Convention Centre to been turned into a mass vaccination site as the coronavirus surge overwhelms hospitals in the Western Cape.

 

Western Cape, South Africa (10 June 2021) – The Western Cape Government and the City of Cape Town have reached a joint agreement to turn the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC) into a mass COVID-19 vaccination site.

With much of the legwork done and the funding for this important endeavour secured, formal contracts are due to be signed imminently with the CTICC, paving the way for implementation within the next 3 to 4 weeks.

“Just over one year ago, our teams worked quickly and efficiently to convert the CTICC into the Western Cape’s first major field hospital, our ‘Hospital of Hope’, and it became a place of healing for the thousands of residents who received life-saving treatment there,” Premier of the Western Cape, Alan Winde, said. 

“I’m excited to once again be working at full speed to open this world-class conferencing venue to residents across the City of Cape Town, enabling a radical increase in life-saving vaccinations. It is our intention for it to be a Centre of Hope in our City and Province within a few weeks.”

It is envisaged that the site will be used for high volumes of vaccinations as part of both the Province and City’s commitment to vaccinating as many of the residents as possible against Covid-19.

“The City of Cape Town begun preparation for the site in March 2021. Work included project management, concept design and costing. These plans were shared with the Provincial government who, after several engagements with the City, made the decision to utilise the CTICC in this regard,” said the Mayor of Cape Town, Dan Plato.

The City will drive final preparations in the coming week with the aim of completing the project before the end of June, and the Western Cape Government will be responsible for the management of the site.

The site, however, can only work at full capacity once vaccine supplies allow it. We are hopeful that the release of the Johnson and Johnson vaccine and the arrival of further Pfizer tranches will enable this in the next 3 weeks.

“At its peak, it is envisaged that this mass ‘vaccination centre of hope’ will be able to vaccinate over 4000 people a day. It will have up to 50 vaccination stations, with each station capable of administering 100 vaccinations per day. This will have a major impact on the pace of our vaccination programme, especially as we move to vaccinate residents under the age of 60,” Winde continued

It is intended that the CTICC will be the first of at least three major vaccination centres in Cape Town, ensuring greater access to residents across the city.

“I would like to thank the Western Cape Department of Health, the Western Cape Department of Transport and Public Works, and the Provincial Treasury – under the leadership of Minister Nomafrench Mbombo, Minister Daylin Mitchell and Minister David Maynier – for their hard work, and of course, the City of Cape Town and the CTICC for being a committed partner in bringing this important project to fruition,” Winde concluded.


Sources: Press Release | Supplied
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