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Trust Freddy, Herald Correspondent
Health teams and community leaders must work together to identify and address obstacles that are preventing people from getting vaccinated, Health and Child Care Minister Dr Douglas Mombeshora has said.
He was speaking at the belated commemorations of the World Health Day and the 50th Anniversary of the Expanded Programme on Immunisation.
This year’s celebrations ran under the theme My Health, My Right, emphasising the fundamental principle that everyone has the right to quality healthcare.
World Health Day is celebrated annually on April 7 and each year draws attention to a specific health topic of concern to people all over the world. The Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI) is a global initiative launched by the World Health Organisation in 1974 to ensure all children, regardless of their location or socioeconomic status, have access to life-saving vaccines.
“Looking beyond this commemoration, our Ministry remains committed to monitoring the performance of our routine immunisation programme,” Dr Mombeshora said.
We must preserve the gains we are celebrating today and close any gaps in reaching everyone with life-saving vaccines.
I urge health teams and local leadership structures to collaborate in identifying and addressing barriers to vaccination, ensuring that all children and deserving adults are vaccinated and protected.
Dr Mombeshora said collaboration in the vaccination drive would ensure that all children and deserving adults received vaccinations and were protected from vaccine-preventable diseases.
He also highlighted some of the key milestones in EPI that the country had managed to achieve.
Some key milestones in EPI that I would like to highlight include the eradication of smallpox, the elimination of several vaccine-preventable diseases, polio-free certification for Zimbabwe in 2005, the successful introduction of new vaccines, effective outbreak response vaccinations for measles, cholera, Covid-19, and polio, as well as achieving universal immunisation coverage in 1989.
In a speech read on his behalf, WHO country representative, Dr Desta Tiruneh said Zimbabwe’s efforts to eliminate maternal and neonatal tetanus, eradicate polio, and eliminate measles have been exceptional and commendable.
The country has made significant strides in ensuring that pregnant women receive the necessary vaccinations to protect both themselves and their newborns from maternal and neonatal tetanus, Dr Tiruneh said in speech read on his behalf by Dr Sarah Wanyoike, vaccine-preventable diseases team leader of the Intercountry Support Team for East and Southern Africa.
Through targeted campaigns and community engagement, Zimbabwe has successfully reduced the incidence of preventable diseases, safeguarding the health of mothers and infants alike.
Additionally, the sustained focus on polio eradication and measles elimination has seen remarkable progress, with robust immunisation strategies leading to increased coverage and the protection of countless children from these debilitating diseases.
He also praised the country’s strong political commitment, citing four polio vaccination campaigns in 2023 in response to outbreaks in neighbouring countries.
The World Health Organisation has been collaborating with partners to support the Government in achieving Sustainable Development Goal 3 (SDG 3), which focuses on ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for all.
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