US$5m shot in arm for kids’ health

sector is not adequately funded.
He was speaking at a function recently where the Japanese government extended a US$4,8 million grant to Zimbabwe for the procurement of life-saving vaccines for children and for programmes against domestic violence.
“High levels of malnutrition and low immunisation of children less than five years have become the major concern,” he said.
Government, he said, will procure the vaccines and introduce two new drugs to combat infant mortality.
Dr Mombeshora said Zimbabwe would not have been able to implement its health programmes without the support of Japan and Unicef.
Japan has been steadfast in its support to the health sector, contributing more than US$14,8 million to the immunisation programme since 2006.
Japanese Ambassador to Zimbabwe Mr Yonezo Fukuda said his country will, in June this year, partner with the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare to procure cold chain equipment for 350 health care facilities throughout the country.
He said the objective was to increase immunisation levels to at least 90 percent and provide protection services to 5 000 children by year-end.
“We hope this grant will help Zimbabwe achieve MDGs 4 and 3, that is the reduction of under five years mortality by two-thirds by 2015 and the promotion of gender equality and empowerment of women respectively,” he said.
The Unicef country representative, Dr Peter Salama, said the grant will go a long way in expanding the cold chain system that is necessary to accommodate the new vaccines.
It will also fund the ongoing programmes on polio control and elimination including the procurement of polio vaccines for national immunisation days in June this year.