Times Of Swaziland: ELDERLY COME TO VACCINATE ON WRONG DAY

ELDERLY COME TO VACCINATE ON WRONG DAY
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BY JOSEPH ZULU on 07/04/2021 07:49:00


PIGG’S PEAK – It is now clear that the elderly are no longer sceptical about
getting vaccinated.
Despite a clear announcement that only bagcugcuteli (healthcare motivators) were
supposed to be vaccinated yesterday, throngs of elderly residents also flocked
the vaccination centres. The vaccination was being done at various tinkhundla
centres, including Pigg’s Peak, Ndzingeni and Ntfonjeni constituencies. At the
Pigg’s Peak Inkhundla, about 51 health motivators were vaccinated, according
to Indvuna Yenkhundla Lucky Matsebula.
Matsebula said the constituency had 76 health motivators, but only 51 showed up.
He then revealed that the elderly also arrived for vaccination despite that many
were informed that the day was for health motivators only.
Tough
“We had a tough time turning them back,” said Matsebula. He said many of
them were eager to be vaccinated and that they were not willing to turn back
without being vaccinated. Matsebula also said this was a good sign because it
showed that a majority of them were no longer afraid of being vaccinated. He
said this meant that they were now properly informed about the meaning of
vaccination than when the exercise started. However, only 120 elderly were
vaccinated yesterday.
Turned
Matsebula said this was because the vaccination was intended for the healthcare
motivators. He said some of the elderly were vaccinated, but others were turned
back. Some of the elderly who were vaccinated said they were not eager to return
without being vaccinated because this would be costly for them. John Dlamini, a
visually impaired man who was with his wife, said he used public transport to
get to the vaccination site. Dlamini said they had to part with E40 for the day,
excluding lunch. “We are not employed,” he said. He said there was no way
they would return the following day if they were to be asked to do so. Among
those who were vaccinated was an 86-year-old man, Fanyana Dlamini, who said he
was happy that he participated in the exercise. He said he was feeling confident
about the second phase of the vaccination. At Ntfonjeni, about 500 were expected
to be vaccinated, according to Emvembili Bucopho Martin Magagula. Magagula said
the elderly were arriving in drips, but that the process was smooth.