Government to intensify Covid-19 vaccination exercises

Vusumuzi Dube, Online News Editor

THE Ministry of Health and Child Care will this month carry out a mass national Covid-19 vaccination campaign aimed at strengthening prevention and control measures in the country ahead of the festive season.

It will also introduce a number of interventions to ensure that the country does not experience another outbreak from festive season travelling. In a statement, permanent secretary in the Ministry, Dr Jasper Chimedza, said the vaccination drive would initially be integrated with the Polio vaccination before being a stand-alone campaign.

“The Government, through the Ministry of Health and Child Care will conduct a mass national Covid-19 vaccination campaign targeting all eligible persons aged 12 years and above during the period 1 to 31 December 2022. The vaccination campaign will be integrated with the Polio vaccination in the first four days of December 2022 and then proceed as standalone campaign until 31 December 2022. Considering the continuous transmission of infection as well as periodic surges in new cases, the country needs to strengthen prevention and control measures including vaccination,” said Dr Chimedza.

Meanwhile, the Government recently took stock of a donation of three million Covid-19 vaccine doses from the People’s Republic of China which included one million doses from the country’s First Lady, Peng Liyuan to the First Lady of Zimbabwe, Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa.

Speaking during a post-Cabinet briefing last Tuesday, the Acting Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, Dr Jenfan Muswere said the doses will go a long way towards the country’s response to the pandemic.

“A total of three million Covid-19 vaccine doses were received from the People’s Republic of China, one million of which were donated by the First Lady of the People’s Republic of China, to the First Lady of the Republic of Zimbabwe, Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa.

In light of the upcoming festive season, Cabinet resolved a number of strategies in order to ensure that the pandemic is kept under check, these inclusive of strengthening enforcement and adherence to World Health Organisation Covid-19 protocols, strengthening genomic sequencing to quickly identify any imported new variants,” said Dr Muswere.

The Minister further revealed that the Government will also be introducing an electronic vaccination register to enable easy identification and follow up of those yet to receive second and third doses.