Staff Reporter
In order to accelerate the vaccination programme and achieve herd immunity by the end of 2021, Cabinet has approved the extension of the vaccination programme to private hospitals and clinics to complement Government efforts and to continue collaborating with the Security Sector to assist in the vaccine roll out, a Government official has said.
Addressing the media during a Post Cabinet Media Briefing in Harare yesterday, Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Monica Mutsvangwa revealed that the Cabinet had also resolved to increase outreach teams for hard-to-reach areas, from an average of two to four teams, increase provision of transport and fuel for the outreach teams as well as reviewing the payment model of allowances for the vaccinators so that it will be based on the number of persons vaccinated.
“Cabinet has also resolved that the vaccination programme be extended to clinics in higher and tertiary learning institutions and that non-medical staff such as data capturers be used to free nurses so that they concentrate on vaccination,” she said.
The Minister revealed that the Health Services Board has written to Treasury seeking concurrence to recruit retired nurses to participate in the vaccination programme.
Concerning procurement of Covid-19 vaccines, Minister Mutsvangwa informed that the Ministry of Health and Child Care was expecting 2 500 000 doses of vaccine through direct purchase in August 2021, while a further 3 500 000 doses will be received during the month of September 2021 under the COVAX facility.
Minister Mutsvangwa noted that there was a slight decrease in weekly cases from 14 275 during the week ending 27 July 2021, to 11 652 in week ending 2 August 2021. “The decline is mostly attributable to the infection prevention and control efforts instituted by Government in response to the third wave of the COVID-19 outbreak,” she said.
She however called upon the nation to continue exercising extreme caution, and complying with COVID-19 protective and preventative guidelines, protocols and measures in order to register further declines in confirmed COVID-19 cases.
As at 2 August, 2021, Zimbabwe’s cumulative COVID-19 cases stood at 110 855, with 79 420 recoveries and 3 635 deaths. The recovery rate stands at 72%, with 98% of COVID-19-positive cases being attributable to local transmission. The number of active cases stands at 27 800.
As of 2nd August, 2021, a total of 1 674 710 people had received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine and 798 880 their second dose across the country.
Meanwhile vaccination in border town hotspots and people’s markets is ongoing, with the highest coverages of the first dose being recorded in Mutare City, Victoria Falls City, Kariba and Chiredzi. The highest coverage for the 2nd dose was recorded in Victoria Falls and Nyamapanda.
