Maputo: Disorganisation on Day 1 of Covid mass vaccination drive – O País

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Maputo: Disorganisation on Day 1 of Covid mass vaccination drive – O País

7:34 CAT | 05 Aug 2021

Photo: O País

Disorganisation sums up the delays, overcrowding and confusion experienced on the first day of mass Covid-19 vaccination in some parts of the city of Maputo. Campaign beneficiaries were disgruntled with the way the process was managed.

At the vaccination post in the Mavalane A neighbourhood, teachers and seniors eagerly awaited the vaccine, some of them in classrooms and others outside.

But the long wait irritated some beneficiaries. And no wonder, because by around 9:40 a.m., the vaccination process had not yet started, although the post was forecast to vaccinate 200 people on the first day alone.

Maria Luísa, 60 years old, told ‘O País’ that the confusion started on the first day of pre-appointment, when they took hours to register people, and at 11:00 a.m. those still waiting were recommended to return home. However, after some insistence, appointments were made.

“They ended up registering us, taking our names, phone numbers and saying that we should be here at 8:00 a.m. today (Wednesday). We arrived here at the stipulated time, but, so far, at 10:00 a.m., there is still nothing happening, and no-one has said anything,” she complained.

In fact, the wait was due to the delay in the arrival of vaccines. But, because they are elderly and part of the risk group, they were already beginning to fear the worst, as 68-year-old Alberto Tsucana explained.

“They said that, with pre-registration, we would each have a time to come to be vaccinated, to avoid crowding, but that is not what is happening here. We’re all in this room together and we don’t know what each person’s health is. Maybe this is where we’re going to catch the disease,” she said.

After a long wait, finally, the green light: the vaccines had arrived. For each person vaccinated, some recommendations were given about the date for the next dose, as well as possible adverse side effects.

In Ferroviário das Mahotas, the scene was one of turmoil and confusion, the residents of the neighbourhood clamouring for help, because, they said, they had been there for more than five hours, so far to no avail.

Some waited standing, others sitting. Those who, because of their advanced age, could do neither, waited lying down in the sun. The place provided little by way of concern for the health of the citizens.

“This is all confusion; they started to respond late! We were told to arrive early, but the vaccines are only now arriving. We came to get the vaccinated against Covid-19, but it looks like we’re only going to get contaminated here,” Ana Manjate said.

The police were on hand to organise the citizens, but chaos was everywhere, and people proposed other ways to help manage the process.

“When there are elections, there are many tables, but today, when it is vaccination, they put only one person to do the inoculation. How is that possible, with so many people here?” asked Rafael Issaca.

There wasn’t even cotton wool for the drops of blood of those successfully vaccinated.

The city of Maputo expects to vaccinate more than 200,000 citizens, let it be noted.

By Julieta Zucula

Source: O País