adminHerald Reporter
SOME rich families in Harare’s northern suburbs shun Government’s immunisation programme because they do not want their children vaccinated in makeshift structures, legislators heard yesterday. Giving oral evidence to the Senate Thematic Committee on the Millenium Development Goals, chaired by Chief Lucas Mtshane, Secretary for Health and Child Care Dr Gerald Gwinji said not only was the ministry struggling to persuade hardcore religious sects to bring children for vaccination against killer diseases, but even the well-to-do and highly educated were reluctant.
Zanu-PF’s Cde Charles Tawengwa had asked if the ministry was making any progress in persuading apostolic sect members to immunise their children.
“Yes, there are those who object to immunisation.
We commonly say it is the apostolic kind of people who resist but the problem goes beyond that. Even the rich in Mt Pleasant and Borrowdale and so on are also resisting programmes like this.
“We find that their children, if they are not vaccinated in the private sector or private rooms, they go unvaccinated.”
Responding to a question from Matabeleland North Senator Thokozile Mathuthu (Zanu-PF) on what became of free maternal health services, Dr Gwinji said Treasury had not made adequate financial provision for this.
He said they were saddled with huge claims from health institutions who would have provided maternal health to mothers.
Online Reporter