Chronicle EditorThandeka Moyo-Ndlovu , Senior Reporter
BULAWAYO’S provincial medical director Dr Maphios Siamuchembu has bemoaned the decrease in the number of residents being inoculated for Covid-19 at a time no learner has visited health centres after vaccination for the 16 to 17 age group was approved.
Dr Siamuchembu said despite the availability of vaccines, health centres were empty as members of the public were no longer going to get the jab, a development which may affect the country’s goal of reaching herd immunity by the end of the year.
Last week, Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga, who is also the Minister of Health and Child Care, said Covid-19 vaccination for the 16 to 17 years age group had been approved, hence vaccination centres were required to commence the vaccination of the age group with immediate effect.
The teenagers will be inoculated using the Sinovac doses only.
Vaccination reduces the risks of succumbing to Covid-19.
As of Monday, Zimbabwe had 133 205 confirmed cases, including 128 126 recoveries and 4 690 deaths.
To date, a total of 3 379 391 people have received their first dose while a total of 2 654 079 have received the second.
In Bulawayo, a total of 260 342 people have received their first dose while 227 464 have received their second dose against the initial target to get at least 400 000 residents inoculated to reach herd immunity.
In an interview, Dr Siamuchembu said his office was already mulling the idea of going to schools instead which may present logistical challenges as targeted learners were not yet going to health centres for the vaccine.
He encouraged pupils to go to static centres saying there were no queues and when necessary, they would be given preferential treatment so that the vaccination drive does not interfere with their studies.
“I am not sure what the challenge is and maybe information is still filtering out but so far no learner has come forward to get inoculated following the announcement by the Minister last week. We have also noted with concern that the number of people getting vaccinated daily has drastically decreased which leaves people at risk of being affected by a looming fourth wave,” said Dr Siamuchembu.
“The approval for vaccination of 16 and 17-year-olds was given last week, and while we are planning to go into schools to vaccinate, we have not started because there has been no learner that has come to the static sites.”
He said in the meantime everyone above 16 years of age, including learners, should present themselves at their nearest health facility for vaccination against Covid-19.
“In Bulawayo and in Zimbabwe in general, the numbers of Covid-19 positive patients continue to decline. We have pockets in schools where there are a few positive cases, but they are well contained and the concerned schools have either been closed or additional control measures are in place.” — @thamamoe
Online Reporter