The CPUT Vaccination Centre, which has administered nearly 20,000 COVID-19 vaccinations, recently celebrated its first anniversary.

The Centre, situated on the Bellville campus, was the first to open at a Post-School Education centre in South Africa.

By Friday, the centre had provided 19,901 COVID-19 vaccinations and recently started giving influenza vaccinations.  

“I think I speak for all the staff when I say that we are quite humbled to realise that a year has passed. Having the opportunity to be on the frontline of the institutional response to Covid-19 has certainly been a privilege. I believe we can be proud of how we have performed as a team,” said Vaccination Manager Benjamin de Waal.

“It’s a humbling thought to realise that our centre was part of a global effort, one of, if not the largest mass vaccination campaigns, to vaccinate people against Covid-19. It is quite rewarding to see the number of severe COVID-19 disease cases and deaths coming down, knowing that this is certainly in part due to the vaccination campaign we have been a part of.”

De Waal said the main highlight of the CPUT vaccination campaign has been the “amazing collaboration” between the Faculty of Health and Wellness Sciences (FHWS), particularly the Departments of Nursing Science and Emergency Medical Sciences, Facilities Management, the HIV Unit, the Safety Health and Environmental Unit, Campus Health, CTS, the Marketing and Communication Department and the COVID19 Health Cluster to make the vaccination centre a reality in a matter of weeks in early 2021.

“This would certainly not have been possible without the leadership of Prof Tandi Matsha (Dean: FHWS), Prof Mellet Moll (COVID-19 Compliance Officer), Prof Karien Jooste (Head of Department of Nursing), Jerome Dreyer (Property Services), Melanie Swanson (HIV Unit), Natalie Copeling (Department of Nursing) and Gail Benjamin (Campus Health) and many others whom we cannot all mention here who all played pivotal roles in making the vaccination centre a reality. This was a CPUT community project and showcases our institution's spirit and capacity to respond to and overcome a crisis.”      

He said another highlight has been providing vaccination services to the communities surrounding the Bellville campus.

“In total, the vaccination centre has vaccinated more than 13,000 public members alone, mostly from the communities around the campus, in an area where limited healthcare services are available. The success of the two Vooma vaccination campaigns has also been a highlight, particularly because these campaigns contributed significantly towards students' vaccination.”

The centre has also recently been invited to join the Western Cape Department of Health Influenza Vaccination campaign and can now offer Influenza vaccinations to eligible clients.

Written by Ilse Fredericks

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The second round of CPUT’s Vooma vaccination campaign saw nearly 2,000 people receiving their vaccinations at pop-up sites on the various campuses and the vaccination centre in Bellville.

Vaccination Manager Benjamin de Waal said 1 992 people were vaccinated, including 813 at the pop-up sites and 1179 at the Bellville centre. 

He said much of the campaign's success hinged on the efforts of Melanie Swanson, Head of the HIV/Aids unit, and their team of peer educators. The Central SRC also supported the campaign.

Swanson said that as the head of the HIV/AIDS Unit, she coordinated all the off-campus Vooma vaccination drives to ensure their successful execution.

“The HIV/AIDS Unit team, including peer educators, played a key role in social mobilising students to participate in the vaccination programme. We used a similar model for HIV testing and health screening at our campuses and campus residences. This has proven to work well in the past and now for the vaccination drive.”

She added that the HIV/AIDS Unit has also played an essential role in the supply of PPE (personal protective equipment) and monitoring compliance.

The HIV/AIDS Unit initiated the following:

• Engaged student leadership one-on-one regarding the importance of the vaccination programme and involved them throughout the campaign. Swanson said they played an outstanding and supportive role in these endeavours.
• Regularly shared COVID-19 and vaccination information about the campaigns on all their social media platforms (CPUT HIV/AIDS Unit)
• Initiated a TikTok vaccination competition where students were invited to use educational and creative ways to record their vaccinations via TikTok. The top four creative TikToks were selected and posted on their social media page. The broader student population selected the best TikTok. These TikToks were viewed more than 5000 times, more than 1000 likes, and over 600 comments were received. These are now used on their social media pages to educate students about the importance of vaccination.
• Bulk SMSs per campus were sent to announce the campaigns.
• Branded shopper bags were distributed to each student who got vaccinated. This consisted of a 16 GB flash drive / EarPods, health information, condoms, leaflets and student services. To date, 3,000 shopper bags have been distributed through these campaigns.
• Vaccinated peer educators were trained to mobilise their peers to get vaccinated. Each campus has a representation of peer educators who actively promoted the Vooma Vaccination Drive, including door-to-door visits at residences.
• Another important factor was having a DJ playing music that the students enjoyed. This was a perfect drawing card.
• CSRC provided a lunch pack at Mowbray campus for each vaccinated student.
• On one of the days at D6, a healthy snack was provided to those who got vaccinated.
• A Q&A regarding the vaccination drive was distributed at almost all campus residences.
• Bulk printed Vooma Vaccination flyers that announced the different campaign dates and a lucky draw of R5000 that should be announced.
• During registration, while students waited for their student cards, the unit used the opportunity to engage them.

Peer educators group leader at the D6 campus, Siliziwe Nomnqa, said it was fun to participate in the campaign, and students well received it.

“We’ve been talking about vaccination; we’ve been engaging with our peers, and I think that’s also why they (students) came in numbers; they now understand what vaccination is.”

Written by Ilse Fredericks

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

CPUT’s Vooma Vaccination days are proving to be a huge success, and more staff and students are invited to get vaccinated on the remaining days of the campaign.

The current phase of the campaign kicked off at the Bellville campus, where 476 people were vaccinated from February 28 to March 4.

The campaign then moved to the District Six campus, where a turnout of 370 was recorded from 7 to 11 March. An additional 232 vaccinations were administered at the Bellville campus during this period, bringing the week's total to 602.

During the Wellington outreach day on March 16, the turnout was 146, while an additional 41 vaccinations were administered at the Bellville Campus on that day. 

The campaign will continue until March 31.

The dates and venues are as follows:

29 March - Mowbray Campus

30 March - Catsville Residence

31 March - Granger Bay Campus

“We would like to invite all staff and students who are not yet vaccinated and need to receive their second or booster dose to join us at the vaccination pop-up sites on the upcoming dates. Getting vaccinated now is very important as all current indications are that we are likely to see a fifth wave in winter, and receiving a vaccine or booster vaccine now will protect against COVID-19 and especially severe disease,” said vaccination manager Benjamin de Waal.

Written by Ilse Fredericks

An inspiring group of dedicated CPUT staff members has played a crucial role in helping ensure the health and safety of the university community during the pandemic. More than 15,000 vaccinations have been administered at the CPUT Vaccination Centre, and our vaccinators are right at the frontline.

This month we share some of their stories:

Nursing lecturer Natalie Copeling chose the profession to make a difference in the lives of others, and this passion shines through at the Vaccination Centre, where she serves the CPUT community.

Copeling has worked at CPUT for 14 years and has been involved with the centre since its inception.

“As an existing member of the CPUT health cluster, I was invited to join a sub-committee of the health cluster and was involved in the conceptualisation and planning of the vaccination centre from the outset,” she said.

Copeling assisted with coordinating the training for the Department of Nursing Science staff as COVID-19 vaccinators, as well as compiling a placement schedule for the staff at the centre and floor management of the centre.           

“In a time of uncertainty and turmoil, I had certain skills that could be of use, and it was a privilege to be able to assist during this time.”

She said nursing is a profession that allows you to be grateful for what you have and provides daily reminders of this when you hear the stories and challenges of others.

“The placement in the centre was a return to practice and engagement with many diverse individuals.”

Copeling thanked Prof Karien Jooste “for her support as my HoD as without that I would not have been able to be as involved as what I was.”

“Also, thanks to my colleagues from the department who worked on a rotational basis at the centre.”

Last year Copeling received two awards from the South African Society of Occupational Health Nursing Practitioners (SASOHN). 
The first, the Ian Webster gold medal, was for her Master’s degree, which was attained in 2019, and is given to all who complete a Master’s or PHD with an occupational health nursing focus by the society. She also received the EXCO Rep of the Year award, given to the candidate the society's president selected annually.
Coupling is married with two daughters, who she says has a passion for equestrian.  
“My spare time is spent mostly outdoors with my two daughters and horses.”

Written by Ilse Fredericks

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

An inspiring group of dedicated CPUT staff members has played a crucial role in helping ensure the health and safety of the university community during the pandemic. More than 15,000 vaccinations have been administered at the CPUT Vaccination Centre, and our vaccinators are right at the frontline.

This month we share some of their stories:

“Just keep swimming”.

This line from the hit movie Finding Nemo is the motto of Gail Benjamin, one of the dedicated vaccinators at the CPUT Vaccination Centre.

Nursing is in her blood. She comes from a family of nurses, including her now-retired mother and Benjamin, who started her career at the New Somerset Hospital in Green Point over three decades ago. 

“I am still learning as our profession is constantly evolving. Nursing is one of the most rewarding careers, personally, professionally, and spiritually. To witness a newborn baby's birth or be present at the end of life is indeed a huge blessing; the beginning and the end of life are sacred.”

Benjamin, a Clinical Nurse Practitioner at Campus Health, Bellville Campus, joined CPUT nine years ago and said Campus Health was involved in the vaccination centre from the planning stages.

The centre, located on the Bellville campus, was the first at a higher education institution in South Africa.

“We all knew we had to do our part for the centre to succeed.”

Besides being a vaccinator, her duties include ensuring that “the operations ran smoothly at the centre”.

Benjamin said she has learnt the following lessons while working at the centre during the pandemic:

“Communication is key… should be clear, accurate and complete. To be transparent, presenting the same message prevents confusion and addresses misinformation.”

Benjamin was born and raised in Worcester, where she completed her schooling before moving on to the Nico Malan Nursing College to pursue her passion.  

“I soon realised that there was so much more to nursing and furthered my studies which led to completing my BTech Community Nursing and Diploma in Nursing Administration at Peninsula Technikon. I also completed the Postgraduate Diploma in Primary Health Care at the University of Stellenbosch after discovering my love for community nursing.”

She is married and has a son.

“As a family, we love the outdoors; we like travelling and exploring the little “dorpies“ around our beautiful country. When the weather permits, you will find me walking along the beach or reading a book near a swimming pool.”

Written by Ilse Fredericks

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.