The Sunday News
Vusumuzi Dube, Online News Editor
THE Government has dismissed as false, reports that the Covid-19 vaccine is not safe for pregnant and lactating women noting that every Zimbabwean above the age of 18 is eligible for the exercise.
Some institutions have reportedly been turning away pregnant and breast feeding women, people with controlled chronic diseases and those above the age of 65, claiming that they were not eligible for the exercise.
However, in an interview with Sunday News Chief Co-ordinator of the National Response to the Covid-19 pandemic in the Office of the President and Cabinet, Dr Agnes Mahomva said the World Health Organisation (WHO) had given the guidelines and noted that the Covid-19 vaccines were safe for these category of people.
“Breast feeding women, pregnant women, people aged 65, people with controlled chronic diseases, those that have once contracted the pandemic but have recovered, in fact everyone above the age of 18 is eligible to get the Covid-19 jab,” said Dr Mahomva.
According to an internal circular from the Ministry of Health and Child Care hospitals have also been warned from turning away people.
“It has been noted with concern that some facilities are turning away eligible people from receiving the Covid-19 vaccine. As per the Ministry of Health and Child Care roll out plan, all residents above 18 years of age are currently eligible for Covid-19 vaccination. Please note that this includes breast feeding women, pregnant women, those with controlled chronic diseases, those that have contracted Covid-19 when they have fully recovered and those that are over 65 of age,” reads the circular.
Meanwhile, close to 39 000 people received their Covid-19 jabs in Bulawayo in the past week as the country surpassed the one million mark of those that have been vaccinated. In total 209 383 people got vaccinated in the country in the past week.
Dr Mahomva said they were impressed with the increase in the number of people that were flocking to various centres to get their jabs saying this would go a long way in achieving the goal of achieving a herd immunity.
“We are happy with the numbers so far, as you know we have surpassed the one million mark, with more vaccines coming into the country we are confident that the herd immunity goal will soon be achieved,” said Dr Mahomva.
Bulawayo acting provincial medical director, Dr Welcome Mlilo revealed that they had established 35 vaccination points in the city where they were vaccinating approximately 6 500 people per day.
“The mass vaccination programme is in full swing cross the province with massive turnouts attended to at all vaccination sites. We have so far established at least 35 vaccination points around the metropolitan province and are looking to add even more points in the coming days. This has seen our teams progressively vaccinate more and more people with each day. We are currently vaccinating approximately 6 500 people per day,” said Dr Mlilo.
Regarding the state of their bed capacity in the city’s Covid-19 centres, Dr Mlilo revealed that they were still hard pressed noting that with Ekusileni Hospital expected to take in its first patients this week, this would go a long way in easing their strain.
“I don’t have figures on current admissions across the Covid-19 treatment facilities. This fluctuate marginally on a daily basis. But I can attest to that the facilities are being stretched and have had to create additional beds to cope with high number of cases requiring hospitalisation.
“Ekusileni hospital is expected to come online this coming week and will relieve some of the pressure for hospital beds. But I think it’s key to reiterate it matters very little how much admission space or resources are available, if those efforts are not complimented at community level by individual behaviors and actions to stop the infections,” said Dr Mlilo.
