The Sunday News
Leonard Ncube, Victoria Falls Reporter
MORE than 11 000 people were vaccinated during the first four days of the mass vaccination roll-out in Victoria Falls as residents resoundingly responded to the call.
The Government rolled out mass vaccination of ordinary residents in Victoria Falls City last Monday as it intensified efforts to achieve a 60 percent herd immunity of the population. President Mnangagwa also received his first dose of the Covid-19 in the resort city at Victoria Falls Hospital on Wednesday where he also launched the country’s second phase of the national vaccination programme.
The process started slowly on Monday afternoon after a series of meetings for health education by the Ministry of Health and Child Care team led by Deputy Minister Dr John Mangwiro. On Monday 660 people were vaccinated including religious leaders, community leaders and heads of Government departments. More people turned out on Tuesday where 2 270 were vaccinated before President Mnangagwa launched the programme on Wednesday at a highly subscribed event attended by Vice-President Dr Costantino Chiwenga, Cabinet Ministers and leaders of 16 political parties.
Static vaccination centres were opened at Victoria Falls Hospital, Chinotimba Clinic, Zimbabwe Aids Project Clinic and ZRP Clinic while several mobile sites were established at hotels, companies, and street corners to make sure no one is left behind.
Teams also visited outlying areas such as Kazungula and Pandamatenga borders and ZimParks camps as well as rural health centres. On Thursday, the cumulative total number of people that had been vaccinated in four days was 11 915.
Hwange District Medical Officer Dr Fungai Mvura said 6 594 males and 5 321 females had been vaccinated with the first dose by Thursday. Those who received the second dose were 331. Friday statistics were not yet available as some teams especially in outlying areas had not yet sent reports.
“So far the turn-out is promising as queues keep growing each day. The programme will continue at static sites and those who still want to be vaccinated will be attended there.”
Victoria Falls population is estimated to be about 40 000, up from 33 000 reported during the 2012 census.
Government targets every eligible citizen to get vaccinated with the exception of children below 18, pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers as well as the chronically ill who have to be checked by doctors to be certified fit for the dose.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health and Child Care had vaccinated a total of 61 093 people nationally against Covid-19 as of Friday. At least 6 201 people also received their first dose and 6 569 have received their second dose of the vaccine on the same day. A total of 27 Covid-19 new cases and no deaths were also recorded.
The positivity rate has dropped to 0,9 percent while the National Recovery Rate stands at 93,9 percent. So far, 36 805 cases have been reported in the country with 34 572 recoveries and 1 518 deaths since March last year.
