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THE southern parts of the country yesterday embarked on a new chapter in the Covid-19 fight as they started the vaccination programme targeting frontline workers who are at high risk of contracting Covid-19 due to their line of duty.
Frontline workers in Bulawayo, Matabeleland South, Matabeleland North and Midlands started receiving their jabs in line with the country’s Covid-19 roll out plan.
The Covid-19 roll out programme follows the national launch last week on Thursday in Harare when Vice President Dr Constantino Chiwenga, who is also the Minister of Health and Child Care was vaccinated, becoming the first Zimbabwean to take the Covid-19 jab.
Under phase one, frontline workers in the health sector, Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) personnel, Customs, Immigration and those in the security will receive the Covid-19 vaccine jabs.
Last week, the country received 200 000 Sinopharm vaccine doses donated by the Chinese government with the country procuring an additional 600 000 doses set to arrive in the country early next month.
Bulawayo launched its vaccination programme at United Bulawayo Hospitals and the event was attended by Bulawayo Provincial Affairs and Devolution Minister Judith Ncube, Health Services Board chairman Dr Paulinus Sikosana, health workers among other dignitaries.
Bulawayo will inoculate 6 600 frontline workers after receiving 13 200 doses.
Officially launching the programme, Minister Ncube said through the vaccination exercise, Bulawayo was taking a huge step in its Covid-19 fight.
“Today Bulawayo Metropolitan province joins the rest of the country in launching the Covid-19 vaccination programme. It is my honour to officiate at this momentous occasion that will usher in new phase in our fight against the virus that continues to disrupt and take away many lives. Our health experts state that in order to for us to reach our goal of achieving herd immunity as a country we need to vaccinate an estimated 60 percent of the population. This is no mean feat but it is a challenge that we must meet,” said Minister Ncube.
“As directed by His Excellency ED Mnangagwa, the Government has moved swiftly to roll out this vaccination strategy. The vaccination will be in three phases with each phase targeting a specific group within the population. Twenty two percent of the population will be vaccinated during the first phase, second phase 18 percent while 18,4 percent will be targeted in the third phase. Thus, achieving the target of vaccinating nearly 60 percent of the population.”
Minister Ncube said it was important for the province to vaccinate frontline workers who are at high risk of contracting the virus.
She said the public should not listen to naysayers as the Sinopharm vaccine has a proven record of being effective in preventing Covid-19.
UBH acting chief executive officer Dr Narcacius Dzvanga said the hospital is targeting to vaccinate about 1 700 frontline workers.
Other vaccination centres include Mpilo Central Hospital, Ingutsheni Central Hospital, council clinics and private health centres.
In Matabeleland North, the vaccination programme commenced in all the seven districts targeting 4 082 frontline workers in the province.
The province received 8 610 Covid-19 doses.
Acting Matabeleland North provincial medical director Dr Munekayi Padingani said there are 158 vaccination centres designated for the smooth roll out of the programme in the province.
Matabeleland South kickstarted the vaccination programme at Gwanda Provincial Hospital as the province targets to inoculate 5 283 frontline workers.
A nurse at Gwanda Provincial Hospital Mr Artwell Moyo volunteered to take the first jab in the province.
Speaking on the sidelines of the roll out of the vaccination programme, Matabeleland South Provincial Medical Director Dr Rudo Chikodzore said they expect that all frontline workers would have taken the first jab by the end of next week.
“We have successfully started the vaccination programme which will run concurrently in all the seven districts and we expect to have been done by March 3. Those being vaccinated in the province are health workers from the public and private sector and ports of entry officials. As a province we received 11 010 vaccines with extra contingents in case of any wastage during transportation. Our target is to inoculate 5 283 people,” said Dr Chikodzore.
She urged frontline workers to take the vaccines saying due to the nature of their job they are at high risk of contracting the virus.
In the Midlands province, the Covid-19 vaccination programme started well across the eight administrative districts.
However, the Provincial Covid-19 vaccination launch will be held in Kwekwe today at Kwekwe District Hospital.
Acting Midlands provincial medical director Dr Reginald Mhene said the 13 800 doses of the Sinopharm Covid19 vaccination was successfully distributed to all the administrative districts in the province.
“The vaccination programme started today in all the districts. The official launch of the provincial Covid-19 vaccination programme is tomorrow (today) at Kwekwe General Hospital and the programme is starting at 8AM,” said Dr Mhene.
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