Only 499 (0.12%) out of 420,000 Covid-19 vaccines have been wasted or spoiled in Gauteng as at the end of June.

This was according to Gauteng health MEC Nomathemba Mokgethi in a written reply to questions from DA Gauteng shadow health MEC Jack Bloom in the Gauteng legislature.

“I asked questions on this issue because stories are rife about vaccines supposedly going to waste for different reasons. I congratulate our health workers for keeping vaccine wastage so low. This shows that when South Africans work together for a greater goal we can make things work,” said Bloom.

Mokgethi told the legislature vaccine wastage occurs mainly because of people who are “walk-ins” as they are unscheduled or not registered for vaccination and there are either fewer or more than the doses available in a vaccine vial. 

Another reason she stated was vials containing more than the expected doses but less than the required dose for vaccination.

On Wednesday Gauteng premier David Makhura, together with MECs, joined community healthcare workers to encourage eligible people to register for their Covid-19 vaccinations.

The drive is aimed at assisting all eligible people for vaccination to get vaccinated near their places of residence or workplaces using mobile clinics.

The provincial government said all people aged 50 years and older are eligible for vaccination and all public vaccination sites in the province accept walk-ins.

TimesLIVE