Chronicle Editor
Bongani Ndlovu, Chronicle Reporter
LACK of communication on the Covid-19 vaccination is the biggest challenge faced by people with disabilities, as some of them were not aware that Bulawayo is holding a door-to-door vaccination programme.
Last week, Bulawayo started a two-week door-to-door Covid-19 vaccination programme, as the country ramps up its fight against the pandemic.
The latest development comes as Government has also indicated that the fourth wave was coming to end, but complacency might trigger a fifth wave.
In Bulawayo, officials said mobile teams have been going round the city’s suburbs in the door-to-door blitz, while other teams are being placed at strategic areas to expedite the exercise.
However, though commendable, people with disabilities say more should be done to communicate such programmes as most of them are in the dark as to how it will be rolled out.
Mrs Ivy Sithole Sande, who is the project manager of Lorewo, that serves persons with disabilities through production and provision of mobility technology, said she and her constituency did not know of this rollout.
Ms Soneni Gwizi, a radio and television broadcaster and disability activist, said she is concerned how those conducting this vaccination drive will communicate with people with disability.
“It sounds like a good service; the question is will it really make the target and if it does that’s super. The major concern with me is the communication (of Covid-19 programmes) and infrastructure to health institutions.
When they get to a house where there is someone with hearing impairment, how will they communicate what they are doing and how they want to administer the vaccine. Also, people who fall under the cluster have no idea about it and it’s a programme that I can benefit from and I can communicate to those who can benefit as well,” said Ms Gwizi.
Ms Michelle Madau, a businesswoman, makeup artist and arts manager said more needs to be done so that more people know where and when they can be vaccinated.
“I had a nasty experience when I went to a fast-food joint in Bulawayo. Here I am thinking that because I have a physical challenge and could go to the front, I was berated by this white man. It was embarrassing. He said he also had a disability; everyone has a disability. So, with this experience I decided when I was getting my vaccine, I would leave home very early so that I would be at the front of the queue. But at health facilities I have never experienced such. They let me through,” said Ms Madau.
Ms Sipho Ncube, the chairperson of Amatshe Aligugu Women with Disability Trust said: “Personally, I haven’t heard about the door-to-door vaccine programme to be honest.
I have been fully vaccinated and I had no challenges that we faced during the first and second dose. They should put more adverts on television so that more people can access the information about this.
Also, it can be sent to our organisations and we in turn send this to our own platforms.” Ms Ncube said besides that the vaccination programme for her and her constituency was moving smoothly.
“Most of our members haven’t heard about the door-to-door vaccination programme that is being rolled out. What I have heard of is the one for going to medical centres, public and private and getting vaccinated there. Such information should be disseminated to people living with disabilities and sometimes we lose out because we wouldn’t know,” said Mrs Sande.
She said lack of information about the vaccine and generally Covid-19, some are sceptical. So far 4 252 378 people have received their first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine and 3 281 020 people have got their second dose. A total of 48 713 people has received their booster shots so far.
As of yesterday, the National Recovery rate was pegged at 94 percent compared to 93 percent the previous week. In terms of active cases the country had 7 594 active cases.
– Follow on Twitter @bonganinkunzi
Bongani Ndlovu
Online Reporter