GRAND BAHAMA, BAHAMAS — Grand Bahama Health Services officially rolled out the AstraZeneca COVID-19 Vaccine Program Sunday, inoculating 50 people at the launch event.
The national initiative was launched in partnership with the Grand Bahama Port Authority (GBPA), which donated the use of the Susan J Wallace Community Centre, and PharmaChem Technologies G B Ltd (PCT), which also partnered with Grand Bahama Health Services to store the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines in their cold storage facility.
The 50 people inoculated included Parliamentarians, led by Minister of State for Financial Services and Grand Bahama Kwasi Thompson; senior civil servants; the Grand Bahama Health Services Executive Management Committee, led by the administrator; senior physicians and nurses from private and public healthcare facilities; and the Kidney Centre management team.
Administrator at the Grand Bahama Health Services Sharon A Williams noted that preparation activities for the rollout included wayfinding signs and information-sharing meetings regarding the vaccination programme with the public and private sectors of the Grand Bahama community and Grand Bahama Health Services Staff.
Speaking to the training element for those workers who will be managing administration of the vaccine, Williams said: “Healthcare workers are always ready and mobilized to move behind projects to meet the needs of the community.
“Vaccine administration is an ongoing activity for our team; we will ensure that this vital initiative is managed effectively and safely for our public.”
Williams thanked the Royal Bahamas Defence Force for added security, the Kidney Centre for donation of furnishings and the local civic organizations — the Rotary Clubs of Grand Bahama and Pilot Club of Lucaya — for the provision of volunteers to assist with welcoming and processing of clients.
Phase One of the national vaccine program will facilitate healthcare workers, uniformed branches, essential workers, elder care workers and residents of homes for the aged.
Happy to hear that. Hopefully it will be the same for me.