Front-line health workers, ports of entry officials and funeral parlour workers will be among the first to be vaccinated for Covid-19 when the doses arrive in the country on Monday as expected, ahead of the country’s largest ever vaccination programme.
According to a schedule released yesterday, the Government
has finalised the inoculation plan ahead of the arrival of the first jabs.
The chronically ill, the elderly, prisoners and those
living in refugee camps will also be prioritised as well as staff at all
schools.
The training of those who will administer the vaccines is
ongoing and is set to be completed before the arrival of the jabs from China.
Experts are being prepared to inoculate the nation against
the virus that has threatened health populations across the globe.
Health and Child Care Deputy Minister Dr John Mangwiro
announced the immunisation plan urging those who will be vaccinated to continue
adhering to Covod-19 prevention protocols.
“The first batch of vaccines is expected to arrive in the
country on the 15th of February 2021 from China and the vaccines will
immediately be distributed to all provinces and districts across the country.
“May I assure you that we have adequate cold chain
equipment to maintain the vaccines in their potent state up to the point of use.
“The role of the supply chain is to ensure effective
vaccine storage, handling, and stock management, rigorous temperature control
in the cold chain and maintenance of adequate logistics management information
systems.”
Zimbabwe was also in advanced negotiations to acquire the
Sputnik V vaccine from Russia, as well as pursuing global and regional
facilities to secure more vaccines to cover all eligible people.
Dr Mangwiro said on arrival the jabs will be taken to
central vaccine stores where they will follow the distribution chain to 10
provincial vaccine stores, 63 district vaccine stores and more than 1 800
service delivery health facilities such as clinic vaccine stores as well as
rural health centres.
The inoculation will take three phases namely, demographic
data collection, blood test for antibodies and swab- a sample will be required
to determine the potency and the vaccination, the delicate process is being
done to monitor and track any side effects.
However, Sinopharm vaccines from China have proved to be
safe in clinical trials with efficacy rates ranging from 76 to 86 percent and
are being used by other countries in controlling Covid-19.
The jabs will be administered at fixed facilities and
mobile outreaches and assured the health workers will be ready in time to
administer the jabs.
“The Ministry has already started training all health
workers who will be involved in the vaccination programme and training will be
completed soon in time for the planned roll out.”
Dr Mangwiro said policies, guidelines and systems for the
management of Adverse Events Following (AEFI) Immunisation are already in place
and our health workers will be on high alert to identify, report and manage any
if they occur.
He said sensitisation of frontline workers has already
begun for them to take up the vaccine to protect themselves. The vaccination
programme in Zimbabwe will be conducted in a phased manner.
The first phase is for the high risk component of the
population and is made up of two stages.
Stage 1 will target frontline workers at significantly high
risk of Covid-19.
These include health workers, ports of entry personnel –
ZIMRA, immigration, customs, funeral parlour, security personnel and village
health workers. Stage 2 will target those with chronic illnesses, the elderly
aged 60 years and above, inmates and prison population and others in confined
settlements including refugee camps. The second phase will cater for lectures,
all schools staff and other staff at medium risk depending on the
epidemiological picture of the disease.
The third phase will target those at relatively low risk
until everyone is covered Herald
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