The Western Cape is engaging with suppliers of Covid-19 vaccines in an attempt to ready itself should there be a need to expand the provision to be made by the national government.
This was revealed by health MEC Nomafrench Mbombo when she led the provincial department to brief the health portfolio committee along with her Eastern Cape counterparts yesterday.
"The premier in his capacity as provincial commander of the council for the Covid-19 has been engaging with the suppliers and also with various other stakeholders in regard to the issue of vaccines.
"We know for sure that there will be a time where there might be extra need to expand beyond some of the priorities the nation has provided and therefore it is crucial for that," Mbombo told the MPs.
She also said they took note of the experience with acquisition of vaccines for TB medication, ARVs for HIV-Aids and other medicine where there has always been centralisation of procurement.
"If something happens in regard to the challenges we always make it a point [that] we have a plan B so that is crucial," Mbombo said.
The move by the province was despite Health Minister Zweli Mkhize last week saying the national department would be sole purchaser of the Covid-19 vaccines for the country.
Currently there were 3323 Covid patients in health facilities with 1889 being in public hospitals and 1434 in private hospitals.