Chronicle Editor
Patrick Chitumba, Midlands Bureau Chief
MIDLANDS Provincial Affairs and Devolution Minister Larry Mavima has raised concerns about the decreasing number of people being vaccinated, saying this could put many people at risk in the event of a fourth Covid-19 wave.
Updating church leaders from the province on the Covid-19 vaccination programme in Gweru yesterday, Minister Mavima said it is worrying that the number of people being jabbed had gone down.
He said the Midlands Covid-19 Committee had reached out to church leaders to help lead the programme by getting their congregants vaccinated.
He said a healthy congregation also leads to healthy coffers for the church.
Minister Mavima said there were enough vaccines at health centres across the province but the uptake was low.
“Following the outbreak of Covid-19, the Government released $100 million to buy Covid-19 vaccines hence we are guaranteed adequate vaccines. I called for this meeting because we need to work hand-in-hand to fight this virus. Science has shown us that the vaccines are safe and in Zimbabwe we are vaccinating with Sinopharm and Sinovac,” he said.
Minister Mavima said President Mnangagwa has said no one is safe until everyone is safe from Covid-19 hence the need for everyone to play his or her role to ensure communities are safe.
“We are still chasing the 60 percent herd immunity by December and let us be guided by President Mnangagwa’s position that no one is safe until we are all safe,” he said.
Minister Mavima said Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga, who is also the Minister of Health and Child Care, held a meeting with all Provincial Affairs and Devolution ministers and urged them to be proactive in mitigating the spread of Covid-19.
“Churches command a huge following and as such churches and the Ministry of Health and Child Care must work together. Nurses will be deployed to your churches if arrangements are made for mass vaccinations. We need to protect lives. We just need to communicate with each other. If plans, for example, for a big Sunday are made, Ministry of Health and Child Care personnel will come there and pitch their tents and vaccinate the congregants,” said Minister Mavima.
Midlands Provincial Medical Director Dr Mary Muchekeza told the church leaders that 10 680 Covid-19 positive cases had been recorded in the province’s eight administrative districts and 429 people had succumbed to the pandemic since its outbreak.
“We have recorded a decrease in Covid-19 cases in the province in the past three months but we are concerned that the percentage of those being vaccinated is going down. Nearly 500 000 people have been vaccinated in the Midlands province and 300 000 have only received the first dose,” said Dr Muchekeza.
Pastor Tinei Sibanda blamed the long distances travelled to the vaccination centres in areas such as Chireya in Gokwe for the low figures.
“Villagers don’t want to walk long distances to be vaccinated hence the need to bring the services closer to the people. The people want to be vaccinated but the clinics are far,” said Pastor Sibanda.
Online Reporter