Chronicle Editor
Leonard Ncube, Lingani Nyika and Prosper Ndlovu, Chronicle Reporters
WHEN the initial Covid-19 vaccination exercise began on 18 February 2021, conspiracy theorists tried to discourage members of the public from being vaccinated. Among those convinced by these naysayers were a few frontline workers who were to benefit from the first phase of the vaccination programme. The situation however, changed as more senior Government officials led by Vice-President Dr Costantino Chiwenga were vaccinated. The story is however, different for Victoria Falls as the community has been eagerly waiting for the life saving opportunity.
The residents in the resort town and their business leaders appreciate the value of public immunity for the broader national good and have become pacesetters of massive response as evidenced by their huge turnout for the vaccination exercise.
Their unique gesture has charmed the Government, which has called on people from all corners of the country to emulate them.
Various stakeholders including tourism players and ordinary residents here feel this is a new beginning.
The Government came up with a deliberate decision to roll-out vaccination of all deserving citizens in Victoria Falls, making it the first city in the country to have ordinary citizens inoculated under the second phase national vaccination programme.
The Government broke out the news for vaccination of all citizens last Friday when officials from the Ministry of Health and Child Care met tourism players here.
On Saturday the Deputy Minister of Health and Child Care, Dr John Mangwiro, had marathon meetings with various stakeholders including members of the Joint Operating Command, hoteliers and tour operators, Victoria Falls City council and management, residents, government departments, church organisations and stakeholders in preparation for the roll-out, which started on Monday.
In the midst of negativity about the vaccine where some people peddled lies that the vaccine is deadly to the body, a massive information dissemination was evident as health officials reached out to every corner of the city explaining the importance of the vaccines in the fight against Covid-19.
The outcome was evident as long winding queues were witnessed at the vaccination sites established around the city.
The static sites are Victoria Falls Hospital, Chinotimba Clinic, Mkhosana Clinic, Zimbabwe Aids Project Clinic and ZRP Clinic while several mobile sites were set up at hotels and in front of supermarkets.
Stung by the effects of the global pandemic, which left more than three-quarters of the resort town’s residents jobless, as hotels and tour operators were forced to close, a cross section of “Victorians” heeded the call by the Government to get the dose of Sinopharm vaccine.
On the first day on Monday, 660 were vaccinated and on the successive days queues started building as early as 7AM with 2 270 being vaccinated on Tuesday.
Health workers were kept busy attending to scores of people who literally jostled to get the jab as information sunk among citizens about the importance of being vaccinated and efficacy of the vaccine.
Vice President Dr Costantino Chiwenga who is also Health and Child Care Minister said Zimbabwe was among the first countries of the world to roll out vaccination in response to the global pandemic and Government chose Victoria Falls because of the city’s role in the country’s economy.
He arrived in the country’s youngest city on Tuesday and yesterday he toured the vaccination sites at Chinotimba Clinic, Victoria Falls Hospital, Truck Stop Clinic, Zimbabwe Aids Project Clinic and a mobile site that was set at OK Supermarket.
The VP could not hide his joy after being charmed by the huge turnout and was forced to stop and address the waving mob on the pavement and explain the vaccination process.
Leading by example, VP Chiwenga has since taken his two doses while President Mnangagwa got his first jab here yesterday soon after launching the country’s second phase of the vaccination programme.
“This is what we expect people from any corner of Zimbabwe to behave like and our economy will be back on track while the safety of our people is guaranteed. That’s what we want when we talk of achieving 60 percent herd immunity,” said VP Chiwenga.
His sentiments were echoed by several business leaders who said Victoria Falls has become the first tourism city globally to roll-out massive vaccination.
“What a great start, this is a very exciting development and it is difficult to suppress our joy because vaccination has come to the tourism capital of Zimbabwe. The fears of getting Cocid-19 virus are greatly reduced. It’s probably the first in the whole world where a whole tourism city has been vaccinated,” said Tourism Business Council of Zimbabwe(TBCZ) president Ms Winnie Muchanyuka.
She said tourism players were very grateful to the Government for recognising the importance of tourism in the country and its contribution to the economy.
Ms Muchanyuka said the TBCZ will lobby Government to avail the vaccine to other destinations countrywide so the country is ready to receive tourists again.
“Tourism is about hospitality and receiving people, we need people to have confidence that if they come into any of our facilities they are safe,” said Ms Muchanyuka.
Leading hotel group, African Sun is one of those whose workers have been vaccinated as more than 100 were jabbed on Tuesday.
The group’s managing director Mr Edwin Shangwa expressed equal excitement. He said this will give confidence to all domestic, regional and international tourists to visit Zimbabwe knowing they will be handled by vaccinated staff.
“This programme comes in at the right time as you know that tourism is the backbone of this country. We are very excited because our guests now know that the staff serving them has gone through necessary testing and vaccination.
“As a business, we appreciate what the Government has done and we are very excited. We are looking at a number of enablers and one which we have identified in tourism is health,” said Mr Shangwa.
Tourism executive Mrs Barbara Murasiranwa said the vaccination exercise shows the Government commitment to ensure the destination is safe and attractive.
“This is a game changer and is going to push other countries in the region to do the same. We have decided to be the pioneers and show the world that they are welcome to a safe destination and we have already started sending information to our databases as industry encouraging tourists to visit us,” said Mrs Murasiranwa.
It was a memorable occasion as President Mnangagwa was vaccinated just after 4PM. Representatives of 16 political parties were present at the launch and those who had not been vaccinated got their jabs after President Mnangagwa and Zanu-PF national chair Cde Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri.
Speaking on behalf of opposition parties, MDC president Mr Douglas Mwonzora said starting with Victoria Falls makes sense because everybody across the political divide stands for the economic development of Zimbabwe.
He said the pandemic was both a national and international emergency and therefore it has to be completely depoliticised, which is why opposition political leaders were part of the proceedings together with the ruling party
“The Covid-19 pandemic has devastated the world and economies and has affected livelihoods and culture of various communities across the world. It affects our tourism and this is our tourism hub so it is befitting that citizens of Victoria Falls are vaccinated first.
“We want to resuscitate our economy and take our place as the commercial and economic hub of the African continent whose development trajectory leaves no one behind,” said Mr Mwonzora.
He commended the Second Republic for its politics of tolerance of opposition parties.
“We have adopted a new philosophy, a new way of doing our politics. We must be guided by what is in the best interests of our people. It must be the Zimbabweans first and not our political self-aggrandizement.
“We urge all Zimbabweans to accept vaccination because this is the only viable option available.Those skeptical should learn from other countries where leaders of different nations are being vaccinated,” said Mr Mwonzora.
Zanu-PF Matabeleland North Women’s League provincial member Cde Grace Dube (67) said: “I am happy the President has been vaccinated and hope this will motivate everyone to get the dose.”
Hwange District youth Veronica Maligo encouraged young people to embrace the vaccination, saying the skepticism among citizens would affect the economy if allowed to persist.
Mrs Miriam Mahlangu (50) of Chinotimba said she was now going to be vaccinated after watching President Mnangagwa getting his dose while Mrs Margaret Ndlovu (75) of Mwemba under Chief Hwange said mass vaccination was key to citizens’ protection.
Mr Armson Hove (45) of Mkhosana said the vaccination exercise was a sigh of relief to the town, which was hard hit by Covid-19.-@ncubeleon, @NyikaLingani
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