HARARE,
Zimbabwe
Vaccination centres in all districts have now received their allocations of the first batch of Sinopharm vaccine against Covid-19 and are ready for the nationwide vaccination programme that continues from today.
A
ceremony to mark the start of the vaccination programme, and to assure citizens
of the safety of the vaccine, was held in Harare last Thursday and 39 people
including eight journalists, were inoculated.
Health
and Child Care Minister, Vice President Constantino Chiwenga led from the front
and took the first jab followed by Health Deputy Minister Dr John Mangwiro.
Zimbabwe’s
10 provinces received their share of doses on Friday, with provincial medical
directors confirming receipt of their shipments, and the deliveries had been
subdivided and sent to all districts by yesterday.
Mashonaland
West province received 11 192 doses while Bulawayo, Matabeleland North and
Matabeleland South, and Midlands received over 44 000 doses, Manicaland
received over 20 000 doses and Masvingo 22 000 doses.
Health
and Child Care Ministry spokesperson Mr Donald Mujiri yesterday said it was all
systems go for the massive vaccination programme ever.
“All
the country’s districts have now received their vaccines,” he said. “The
provinces and the districts are ready for the vaccination programme which
starts with health workers. Their staff have been trained and we encourage
everybody who can, to take the vaccines.”
The
vaccination programme, which is expected to last 10 days under the first phase,
is voluntary.
Zimbabwe
plans to source vaccines for 10 million people from China, India, Russia and
the United Kingdom, among others, to ensure many people are vaccinated.
India
has pledged 75 000 doses of Covid-19 vaccine.
The
Sinopharm vaccine being used for the programme that continues from today, was
donated by China and will cover 100 000 people as two doses are needed for each
person.
All
health care workers and other frontline staff in the security sector and
immigration department Will be the first to receive the vaccine.
Zimbabwe’s
target is to achieve a 60 percent herd immunity, which can only be achieved
when 10 million people have been vaccinated.
The
vaccination programme starts with those at high risk of infection and these are
largely health workers and some security officers. The next stage will include
those at high risk of dying if infected and these are mainly the elderly and
those with co-morbidities.
The
education sector will also be prioritised next in the second phase before the
programme is rolled out to the rest of the population that is at low risk in
the final phase.
Zimbabwe
has received praise from the World Health Organisation (WHO) for the way it has
responded to the pandemic.
Over
35 000 cases tested positive but more than 32 000 people have recovered while 1
432 had died as at February 20. Active cases are now just over 2 000.
But
experts and Government officials warn that if citizens lose guard, more cases
could still be recorded.
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