The Compensation Fund (CF) has called on pensioners and workers, without medical aid cover, to apply for vaccinations as the CF has, in partnership with mutual assurance companies Rand Mutual Assurance Company Limited (RMA) and The Federated Employers Mutual Assurance Company (FEM), made more than R1.3-billion available to support government’s efforts to fund vaccines.

The funding is anticipated to contribute towards the vaccinations of an estimated three-million workers and pensioners who are uninsured.

The workers and pensioners who will be covered through the contribution will be inoculated under phases 2 and 3 of the vaccination programme as per the plan outlined by the Department of Health (DoH).

The workers who will benefit from this initiative are mainly vulnerable low- to semi-skilled workers, who have the least resources to mitigate against the loss of income, whether temporary or permanent, resulting from hospitalisation or temporary incapacity owing to Covid-19 infection, the CF states.

The entities will also contribute towards the costs of those receiving a pension who qualify for the Covid-19 vaccination in terms of the Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases Act.

This collaboration will help the government procure vaccines to inoculate South Africa’s adult population in order to reach the 67% herd immunity target.

The costs of procuring enough vaccines to inoculate at least two-thirds of the population remains a concern for the country as, earlier in the year, the DoH indicated to Parliament that the Johnson & Johnson vaccine would cost $10, or about R147 per dose.

The initiative by the CF, RMA and FEM forms part of the ongoing collaboration between the public and private sectors to plug the financial gap in the vaccine rollout programme.

Commenting on the initiative, CF commissioner Vuyo Mafata says the collaboration “marks an important turning point” in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic.

“If we can have more parties on board to support in a similar vein, we can play a significant role in providing a much-needed safety net for millions of vulnerable workers and pensioners who do not have the means to fund their vaccinations or afford private healthcare,” Mafata says.

Mafata further acknowledges that, while some challenges remain within the CF, these are being highly prioritised for resolution.

RMA CEO Mandla Shezi, meanwhile, adds that through the collaboration, support will be provided to help shoulder the financial burden of the costs of the vaccines and enable access to healthcare to ensure that “no one is left behind in this process”.

Public-private partnerships have a crucial role to play in achieving tangible social impact, and this serves as testament to the importance of collaboration, Shezi adds.

Over the last 12 months, the CF, RMA and FEM have received 22 663 Covid-19 claims and have accepted liability for 12 523 of these. 

Pensioners over 60 and workers that fall under this age group are encouraged to register on the government Electronic Vaccine Data System.