Chronicle Editor
Mashudu Netsianda, Senior Reporter
THE country’s Covid-19 vaccination programme commences tomorrow starting with health workers following the arrival on Monday of 200 000 doses of vaccines donated by China.
China will also supply a further 600 000 doses bought by Government and the consignment is expected to arrive next month.
On Monday, President Mnangagwa said other vaccines from countries which include Russia, India and the United Kingdom are also on their way.
Chinese firm, Sinopharm, says its vaccine is 80 percent effective in preventing Covid-19 infections. The company has gained approval in over a dozen countries and has begun distributing hundreds of millions of Covid-19 doses around the world.
Early Phase I and II data suggests the Chinese vaccines are safe.
Sinopharm has previously said its Covid-19 vaccine has shown comprehensive strength with its outstanding performance in safety, high efficacy rate, cold-chain temperature friendly to most countries and a large capacity ready for massive injection.
Government has said vaccination is on a voluntary basis and is free.
During a post-Cabinet briefing yesterday, Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Senator Monica Mutsvangwa said all vaccinated persons will be registered and advised when to report for the second dose.
She said all the people who are given a first dose are assured of a second dose.
The minister said it must be noted that vaccination will be on a voluntary basis and there will be close monitoring and surveillance for any adverse reactions to the vaccines.
“The vaccination programme commences on 18 February 2020, on a voluntary basis and will be free. The aim of the first phase is to vaccinate 22 percent, 18,4 percent under Phase 2; 18,4 percent under Phase 3, thereby yielding a vaccinated population of nearly 60 percent of the population,” she said.
“Cabinet further wishes to inform the nation that the priority for the vaccine roll-out programme will be accorded to the country’s health workers, followed by health personnel in the Zimbabwe Republic Police, the Defence Forces, and the Prisons and Correctional Services. The Zimbabwe Revenue Authority, Immigration and Agritex workers will also be prioritised under Phase 1. Persons who are over 60 years and other vulnerable groups will also be targeted under the initial phase.”
Minister Mutsvangwa said phase two will encompass college and university lecturers and school teachers, while the rest of the population at low risk will be catered for under Phase three.
“Cabinet further wishes to assure the nation that training of the trainers has already commenced. Training is focusing on vaccine storage, communication, surveillance, vaccination, monitoring and evaluation and waste management. Vaccination will take place at fixed and outreach points, and will cover 10 days in the first round and five days in the second round,” she added.
“Cabinet also wishes to assure the nation that procurement of vaccines is an ongoing process in line with the set target. Research is also continuing to ensure that only suitable vaccines will be administered on our people.”
In an earlier interview, chief coordinator national response to the Covid-19 pandemic, Dr Agnes Mahomva said it was all systems go.
“The vaccination will be done within the context of the usual expanded programme of immunisation (EPI) that we do for our under five children for measles and rubella among other diseases,” she said.
“The process is already happening and there is no going back. We are moving as fast as we can because we don’t want this vaccine to lie around and this is well planned and meticulous process. Once you get a specific vaccine, you open package and see what are the specifics that you now need to train on.
“We held a meeting of the provincial medical directors and their teams ahead of rolling out the programme to the provinces.”
The EPI was introduced in Zimbabwe in 1982 with support from the World Health Organisation (WHO).
Dr Mahomva said provincial medical directors are in the process of mobilising their existing EPI teams.
“We are using doctors within our system and we have Chinese doctors who are also part of the teams. In our deployment strategy, one of the important areas is the regulatory processes, which don’t just talk about the regulatory issues in terms of the vaccine and the need to have it registered just like all other medicines, but that also include looking at properly registered healthcare workers to administer the vaccination,” she said.
Dr Mahomva said under the Covid-19 vaccine roll out programme, they won’t be starting from scratch as there are existing immunisation teams under the EPI.
“Remember we vaccinate every single day and there is no way we vaccinate our children without people having been trained. Under the EPI programme that we run for all other vaccines, there are teams that have already been trained in terms of vaccinations and other standard requirements such as the cold chain, but we were waiting for the specifics for this actual vaccine,” she said.
“There is nothing new there and we are really disappointed by some in the health fraternity including nurses who claim they don’t really know what is happening yet technically you see our teams immunising for measles and rubella.”
Dr Mahomva said they have appropriate storage facilities for vaccine cold chain to maintain product quality from the time of manufacture until the point of administration.
“In terms of efficacy, the number from the manufacturer is neither here nor there, we are just following our own the science and making sure the vaccine we have has been manufactured properly and that it’s on the WHO list of vaccines that they are also assessing with their scientists.”-@mashnets
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