Staff at the Grassy Park civic and DP Marais vaccination site in Retreat received top awards at a ceremony earlier this month.
The officials from the site received Western Cape Health Department (WCHD) awards at the Covid-19 rollout recognition awards which were held on Friday March 4.
Also recognised were others in the public sector, private organisations and academia.
On the day, Health MEC Dr Nomafrench Mbombo as well as Dr Keith Cloete, the head of the department and various senior managers handed over certificates to those who played key roles in the province’s vaccination rollout programme.
Natalie Watlington, spokesperson for the department’s southern district said the staff made the department proud.
She said the rollout of a vaccination programme provided the best chance of overcoming the pandemic as vaccines offer protection against severe disease and death.
“Whether they have been working in administration, procurement, social mobilisation, safety monitoring, training, clinical or information management, it is appropriate to formally acknowledge officials for helping the province administer close to five million vaccines,” she said.
Nominations for the Covid-19 rollout recognition awards were submitted in November last year with nominees being identified for the ways in which they excelled in the provincial vaccine rollout efforts.
Some of the categories in which the recipients were honoured at the ceremony included demonstrating innovation, leadership, individual or team excellence, embracing partnerships, and providing access for people to be vaccinated, to name but a few, said Ms Watlington.
The Grassy Park civic and DP Marais hospital vaccination sites were recognised for their exceptional teamwork and professionalism in the implementation of the Covid-19 vaccination rollout along with Saxon Sea vaccination site in Mamre and the Brooklyn Chest hospital site.
Juanita Arendse, the Covid-19 vaccine project office lead, said she was proud of all the recipients and the many teams that they represented. “They have worked hard over the past year to ensure a successful vaccination rollout programme to the residents of the province.
“Well done to all recipients who have shown outstanding work achievement, teamwork and a strong commitment to saving lives through the vaccination rollout programme.”