Chronicle Editor
Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu, Sunday News Reporter
GWANDA residents have taken heed of Government’s call to get vaccinated against Covid-19 with authorities indicating that they will need more doses because of the overwhelming response from members of the public.
The Ministry of Health and Child Care extended the mass vaccination programme to the district on Friday with a total of 22 vaccination points set up.
On Thursday evening the Ministry through a hailer invited residents to visit various points in order to get vaccinated.
In an interview, Gwanda District Nursing Officer (DNO), Filter Sibanda said people had responded well to the call to get vaccinated.
“As a district we are really impressed by the response from people towards the mass vaccination programme. People have come out in numbers and it looks like we will need more doses. So far we have 22 centres including those we opened in mining areas and stamp mills. With the introduction of the mass vaccination programme, more people are coming compared to the normal vaccination exercise that we were conducting all along.
“Opening up vaccination points in various places has also helped people to access these points. Our wish is to open more vaccination points at business centres in rural areas, churches and clinics so that the service may be easily accessible to people. We would like to urge people to continue coming in numbers,” she said.
Mr Mbekezeli Ndukana (23) who got his first dose at the Gwanda Provincial Hospital on Friday said he realised the severity of the pandemic and the need to get vaccinated. He said it was important for youths to be responsible and get vaccinated.
“We would like to thank Government for this mass vaccination programme because the more doses are distributed and the more vaccination points are created then it means that more people can get vaccinated. I realised the gravity of the matter and how deadly this pandemic can be that’s why I saw it imperative for me to get vaccinated.
“To my fellow youths, I would like to urge them to get vaccinated as well. This move is an effort to protect our lives and those of our loved ones. I have been waiting anxiously to get vaccinated and I’m glad that the time has come.
“At first I had heard that the vaccination programme was being done by sectors and then when I heard the announcement that we should all come to vaccination I quickly came to the hospital as early as I could,” he said.-@DubeMatutu
Bongani Ndlovu