Times Of Swaziland: MPS, COUNCILLORS SHOULD VACCINATE FIRST – HEALTH WORKERS

MPS, COUNCILLORS SHOULD VACCINATE FIRST – HEALTH WORKERS
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Joseph Zulu and Phumelele Mkhonta on 17/03/2021 14:11:00


PIGG’S PEAK – In many countries, leaders have been taking the vaccines
openly before frontliners such as healthcare workers.
This was an observation made by healthcare workers during a sensitisation
workshop on the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine. At the Pigg’s Peak Government
Hospital, healthcare workers submitted that Members of Parliament (MPs) should
start, then followed by councillors. Pigg’s Peak town has two residents who
are MPs in Jabulani ‘Buycash’ Mabuza and Nokunceda Bujela.
Mabuza is MP for Pigg’s Peak Inkhundla while Bujela is Hhohho MP.  The
healthcare workers said they wanted to see MPs such as Bujela and Mabuza take
the vaccine in public. They also said they wanted to see the Minister of Health,
Lizzie Nkosi, do the same. They further said councillors, including Mayor Victor
Rodrigues, should do the same. “This will give us the confidence to take the
vaccine,” they said. A suggestion was made that after the vaccination, there
should be 14 days before the healthcare workers did the same. Bujela, when
called for comment, said the reason nurses should go first was that they were at
a higher risk. “They should go first,” said the Hhohho MP.
Bujela also noted that previously, it had been suggested that politicians should
go first, but this was later changed to allow frontliners to do so. Mayor Victor
Rodrigues said he was ready. “If they said let’s do it today, I will run to
do so,” said Rodrigues. However, he said it was not in his power to do so
because the administering of the vaccine was done by the relevant authorities. 
Rodrigues expressed concern about the ongoing debates. He lamented that while
the public was debating on who should take the vaccine first, time was running
out. “Soon, the vaccine will expire while we are busy debating,” said the
mayor.