The Sunday News
Vusumuzi Dube, Online News Editor
THE Government has said it is confident that the country will achieve Covid-19 herd immunity by December with 13 million doses of vaccine having already been purchased.
The country will further be donating 20 000 doses of the vaccine to Namibia in the spirit of regional cooperation and solidarity.
Speaking during a post-cabinet briefing on Wednesday, Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister, Monica Mutsvangwa revealed that the Ministry of Health and Child Care will soon be expanding their vaccination drive so as to ensure that more people get their jabs.
She said they had since extended the programme to cater for the 14-17-year age group.
“The country has already acquired 13 million doses out of the 20 million required in order to achieve herd immunity. On the advice of scientists, the vaccination programme will also be extended to the 14 to 17-year age group.
“Given the current vaccination statistics, Cabinet is confident that herd immunity will be achieved by December 2021,” said Min Mutsvangwa.
She said in order to further boost the vaccination programme the Health Ministry will now expand the engagement of the private sector, involve churches, universities and other institutions of higher learning and accelerate outreach campaigns taking advantage of the Integrated Expanded Programme for Immunisation.
“The nation is advised that 2 500 000 million doses of vaccine were received between 19 and 24 August, 2021. During the month of September, the country is expecting to receive 2 500 000 million doses of vaccines under direct purchase, and 943 200 doses under the COVAX programme. “Government wishes to assure the nation that it has sufficient financial resources to procure all the required vaccines. The Chinese Government has donated another 500 000 doses, while the Serbian Government has made a donation of 30 000 Sputnik V vaccine doses. In the spirit of regional cooperation and solidarity, the Government will donate 20 000 doses of vaccines to the Government of Namibia,” she said.
Min Mutsvangwa noted that vaccination in border town hotspots and peoples’ markets is ongoing, with the targeted population fully vaccinated, save for those at Renkini, Stanley Hall and Mutapa Market in Bulawayo and Gweru, respectively.
“The highest coverage of the first dose was recorded in Victoria Falls Town (97,8 percent), Chirundu (97,6 percent), Chiredzi (87,6 percent), Kariba (75,6 percent) and Nyamapanda (68,9 percent).
“The highest coverage for the second dose was recorded in Victoria Falls (75,8 percent), Chiredzi (59,4 percent), Kariba (48,7 percent), and Nyamapanda (43,7 percent). Government also targeted and vaccinated people working on the following economic projects, namely: Hwange Energy project in Hwange; new Parliament Building in Mount Hampden and Gwayi-Shangani Dam, Matebeleland North,” she said.
