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Runesu Gwidi Herald Correspondent
Members of the apostolic church in Masvingo province have been urged to attend Government immunisation programmes to reduce the runaway infant mortality rate in the province.
Some apostolic churches discourage their members from embracing modern medicines.
Masvingo Provincial Medical Director Dr Amadeus Shamu recently decried the rising cases of infant mortality in the province.
Dr Shamu noted that most apostolic sects were opposed to immunisation programmes.
“We respect all churches and religious sects, but they need to be alive to the fact that Government health programmes are there to protect them and their children,” he said.
“Health officials will not be opposing their religious beliefs, but they will be preventing diseases among their infants.”
He said Government will continue to expand the immunisation programme in all parts of the province to curb infant mortality.
“Government is committed to allocating sufficient resources for immunisation programmes hence the need for every stakeholder, including churches, to complement its efforts,” said Dr Shamu.
Awareness campaigns have been carried in most parts of the country aimed at encouraging members of the apostolic church to embrace immunisation.
There is still resistance in some of the churches, but a few are now agreeable to their children being immunised.
Online Reporter