HEALTH and Child Care Minister (MoHCC), Vice President Constantino Chiwenga says government was confident the Sinopharm vaccine would do no harm to the people of Zimbabwe as they have done their homework before rolling out the dosses.
By Michael Gwarisa
Zimbabwe received an initial consignment of 200 000 doses of the Sinopharm Vaccine on February, 15 2021. The other batches are set to arrive from different suppliers and governments in the coming weeks in a move that is likely to see at 10 Million Citizens being vaccinated.
Speaking at the Inaugural national vaccination program rollout launch where he also became the first Zimbabwean citizen to get the Sinopharm jab, Vice President Chiwenga said they wee confident in the results they have gathered so far with regards to the Sinoparm vaccine’s safety and efficacy.
My Ministry conducted all scientific processes to ascertain the efficacy of Sinopharm vaccine which was confirmed to be 79%. My presence here today with some ministry of health officials including my deputy is to exhibit the government’s confidence in the Sinopharm vaccine.
“I have received my COVID-19 vaccine jab together with my deputy minister and my staff, therefore I urge all Zimbabweans to be vaccinated at their nearest health centres. It is important, Life can never be bought and once you die that’s it and it is in the interest of all of us to be vaccinated so we don’t pass on the virus to the next person,” said Minister Chiwenaga.
He added that more COVID-19 Vaccines are expected in the country in the foreseeable future till the required quantities have been achieved in the shortest possible time. He however urged Zimbabweans to continue upholding preventive measures even after being vaccinated.
“When you have been vaccinated, it does not mean that is the end. We, must remain on guard. Remember to sanitize, Musk Up and observe social distancing amongst other measures. The program is to start rolling out today, the Vaccines will go to the provinces starting today and tomorrow. The vaccination countrywide will start on Monday.
“The marked decline of new cases of the coronavirus, is vividly heralding the end of the second wave of the pandemic. Despite the slump, the government of Zimbabwe adopted a second line of defense to augment preventive measures to combat COVID-19. The second layer of defense is the procurement and rollout of COVID-19 vaccines which you have all witnessed here.”
He added that the rollout program will be administered to all the frontline workers that is the health services which include the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA), Immigration officials and the health staff of the security services among others.
Chief Coordinator of the COVID-19 response, Dr Agness Mahomva said each and every vaccine has its issues and side effects and that should not deter the national vaccination program to proceed.
“We are very aware any single vaccine, whether it’s the measles, Polio or all the other vaccines that we have been using before, they all have some issues. They have something so it is up to us as we rollout our program to pay attention to that science that has told us hold to other vaccine and or to accept others and we have to follow that.
“This is specifically why when you saw the Vice President and others being vaccinated there, we went through the processes and there are certain parameters that we have to follow and we have to do exactly that including paying attention to the over 60s age requirement or the pregnant women issue and making sure we are following it to the core,” said Dr Mahomva.
