Do Not Hinder Vaccine Rollout, Church Leaders in South Africa Appeal to Government

The country has 1.1 million confirmed cases of COVID-19, over 30,000 related deaths and 912,000 recoveries.

The officials are said to be skeptical about the vaccine, saying that they cannot “take the risk” of ordering vaccines that may not work.

In response to the allegations, South Africa’s Minister of Health Dr. Zweli Mkhize gave an online presentation outlining the government's plan. He said that the goal was to vaccinate two-thirds of South Africa's 57 million people by the end of the year, beginning in February.

SACC officials have welcomed the Minister’s promise “with relief”, saying that the COVID-19 vaccine roll-out process should be conducted speedily as the number of infections continues to rise.

“We are firmly in the midst of the second wave of infections, categorized by in excess of 18, 000 new cases each day, not to mention the rate of mortality of our people,” the church leaders say in the statement issued by the office of the SACC General Secretary, Bishop Malusi Mpumlwana.

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The officials of the interdenominational forum based in Johannesburg add, “There can be no doubt in the minds of any South African that an expedited process in the procurement and distribution of the vaccines is required.”

Some vaccine manufacturers have already offered to supply South Africa with their COVID-19 vaccine at a discounted US$10 a dose, but the office of South Africa’s President has reportedly described the cost as “prohibitive.”

The leaders of the 36-member entity including the Catholic Church, the African Methodist Episcopal Church and the Anglican Church of Southern Africa appeal to the public-private partnerships “to prioritize the value of human life ahead of profits.”

“It would be disheartening for any partners to position themselves between the only solution available to South Africans to acquire large-scale immunity,” they say.

The church leaders have also called on the South African government to engage with the pharmaceutical companies who have developed the vaccines, and to negotiate for the reduction in costs, without which they say South Africa and other developing countries may not be able to afford to contain the spread of the coronavirus. 

“We strongly believe that commercial considerations should not override the value of human life, and this sets an urgent moral obligation at the doorstep of every pharmaceutical company and procurement entity,” the Religious leaders say.

They add, “God forbid that the thought of personal gain and inordinate profits would cross the minds of anyone in the supply chain in the roll-out of the vaccine!”

The SACC leaders have also called upon religious leaders in the country to ensure that the people of God under their care adhere to safety protocols

“As we await the phased roll-out of the vaccine, we call on all churches to sustain the campaign for non-pharmaceutical measures to limit the virus spread,” the leaders urge.

They add, “We should also be prepared to do without much of our customary social practices, including how we relate to death and bereavement, in order to prevent further deaths. These are the only measures we currently have, to keep the people safe as we await the roll-out of the vaccine over the coming months.”

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“Let us stand firm in the implementation of these measures, as they have the potential to save lives,” officials of SACC say in their January 4 statement shared with ACI Africa.

Agnes Aineah is a Kenyan journalist with a background in digital and newspaper reporting. She holds a Master of Arts in Digital Journalism from the Aga Khan University, Graduate School of Media and Communications and a Bachelor's Degree in Linguistics, Media and Communications from Kenya's Moi University. Agnes currently serves as a journalist for ACI Africa.