Staff Reporter

The country is poised to receive a substantial shipment of close to one million cholera vaccines this week in a bid to combat the spread of the  pandemic.

In an interview with the Harare Post, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health and Child Care, Dr. Aspect Maunganidze said that the Government had procured 2.2 million doses of the oral cholera vaccine (OCV) from the International Coordinating Group (ICG).

Dr. Maunganidze also revealed that the nationwide cholera vaccination campaign was going to commence on February 29.

“With Zimbabwe grappling with a cholera epidemic that has claimed 71 lives and left over 300 others suspected to have succumbed to the waterborne disease, the upcoming nationwide vaccination campaign is set to kick off on February 29. As of January 17, the country reported a staggering 18,865 suspected cholera cases, 2,223 confirmed cases, and 12,137 recoveries, emphasising the urgent need for intervention,” said Dr Maunganidze.

The Permanent Secretary disclosed that the vaccination program woud be executed in phases, strategically targeting hotspot districts across seven provinces, namely Harare, Manicaland, Masvingo, Midlands, Mashonaland East, Mashonaland West, and Mashonaland Central.

"We then intend to start the vaccination programme on February 29, 2024, in a phased approach in the hotspots. We will be targeting the hotspots areas, also known as Prioritized Areas for Multi-Sectoral Interventions, where cases are being reported currently," said Dr Maunganidze.

Meanwhile, in a parallel effort to combat the cholera crisis, the Government has drilled 77 boreholes in cholera hotspots nationwide, out of a broader target exceeding 140.

The exercise buttresses the Presidential Borehole Drilling Scheme that commenced in 2021 to improve access to water in communities targeting 35 000 boreholes across the country’s villages.

This initiative underscores the commitment of addressing the root causes of the waterborne disease by enhancing access to clean water in affected regions.

As Zimbabwe braces for the delivery of these life-saving vaccines and the subsequent rollout of the nationwide vaccination campaign, the combined strategies of vaccination and improved water infrastructure aim to bring the much-needed relief to communities grappling with the devastating impact of the cholera outbreak.