Higher education institutions to administer COVID-19 inoculations

“These institutions will play a rapid response role in ensuring that the COVID-19 vaccine roll-out is fast-tracked as per the Department of Health phased plan,” Nzimande said in a statement.

The Department of Higher Education and Training has made available its Post School Education and Training institutions to be part of the comprehensive health facilities to administer COVID-19 inoculations.

Higher Education and Training Minister, Dr Blade Nzimande, said the institutions of higher learning, including universities and colleges, are geographically located in all provinces and localities, which renders them easily accessible to communities for inoculations.

“These institutions will play a rapid response role in ensuring that the COVID-19 vaccine roll-out is fast-tracked as per the Department of Health phased plan,” Nzimande said in a statement.

Nzimande will on Thursday visit the University of Pretoria (UP) vaccination centre, where he will receive a briefing from the University of Pretoria and Higher Health on the management of COVID-19 cluster outbreaks.

The Minister will also use the opportunity to receive his second inoculation at the UP vaccination centre, to further demonstrate his solidarity with educators who form part of the current cohort to be inoculated.

Nzimande received his first COVID-19 vaccination last month at Edendale Hospital in Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal.

The Minister will on Thursday be joined by the University of Pretoria management, led by Professor Tawana Kupe and Higher Health CEO, Professor Ramneek Ahluwalia. 

(With Inputs from South African Government Press Release)