CLOSE to 99 percent of Government workers in Zimbabwe have been fully vaccinated against Covid-19 ahead of next month’s deadline by which all civil servants must be immunised or face disciplinary action.
This comes as authorities have set in motion a plan to set
up vaccination centres in schools.
This is expected to inject further impetus into the
country’s immunisation programme, which was beginning to lose momentum with the
passing of the third wave of the coronavirus.
Data obtained from the Public Service Commission (PSC)
shows that Mashonaland Central has the highest percentage of fully vaccinated
public sector workers followed by Manicaland and Masvingo.
Full vaccination entails getting two jabs of the vaccines
which have been authorised for use in Zimbabwe.
To date, 99,68 percent of Government workers stationed in
Harare have been fully immunised, while 99,95 percent of those in Bulawayo have
received their Covid-19 jabs.
According to the official PSC schedule, in Mashonaland West
(99,86 percent), Mashonaland East (99,94 percent), Mashonaland Central (99,96
percent), Manicaland (99,95 percent), Midlands (99,57 percent), Masvingo
(99,95), Matabeleland North (99,72 percent) and Matabeleland South (99,72
percent) of all public sector workers have been fully vaccinated.
Zimbabwe has a 300 000-strong civil service staff
compliment.
Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Minister
Professor Paul Mavima said vaccine uptake within the public service was
testament to the efficacy of Government’s “no work, no pay” policy.
He said the Government stands by its decision to withhold
unvaccinated workers’ remuneration.
“This development shows that we are almost there as a
country in achieving herd immunity,” said Prof Mavima.
“It also means that the Government has been successful in
rolling out the vaccination programme.
“As I have said previously, unvaccinated public sector
workers will still be given priority when they want to get their jabs.
“By getting vaccinated it means that those who interact
with our workers are now protected from the deadly coronavirus and the
workplace will also be a safer place.
“However, those who are not yet vaccinated are being
encouraged to do so because our no vaccination, no pay policy still stands.”
Zimbabwe Confederation of Public Sector Trade Unions
secretary-general Mr David Dzatsunga said the vaccination of civil servants has
helped improve workplace productivity.
“Vaccination of civil servants is important because it
makes the work environment safe,” he said.
“Since everyone can attend to his or her work without
disturbance, it means there will be increased productivity.”
In September, the Government promulgated Statutory
Instrument 234 which compelled all public sector workers to be immunised by
October 15 or face disciplinary action.
Those with valid excuses for not being vaccinated were
given up to December 31 to get their jabs.
Reads SI 234: “Provided that if the head of Ministry or
head of department is satisfied that any member of the Public Service who is
employed in that Ministry or department has a reasonable excuse for not being
fully vaccinated by the 15th October, 2021 (which excuse shall be recorded in
writing and promptly notified by the head concerned to the Commission), the
head concerned may in relation to that member extend the vaccine mandate to no
later than 31 December, 2021.”
Civil servants had early priority when the national
vaccination campaign began.
Most African countries have imposed vaccine mandates within
their civil service.
Earlier this month, the Ministry of Health and Child Care
approved the use of the Sinovac Covid-19 vaccine for 16 and 17-year-olds.
The Deputy Minister of Health and Child Care, Dr John
Mangwiro, said the Government will soon set up temporary vaccination centres at
schools to ensure that teenagers who qualify for vaccination receive their jabs
with minimum hassles.
“We have outreach teams which will go there and vaccinate
children.
“It can be in schools, churches or at grinding mills,
everywhere there will be a vaccination centre.
We cannot say a school that is for instance 70km away is
the only one offering vaccination because schools mostly have approximately a 1
000 or more kids.
“It would be inconvenient for others. Therefore, it would
be best for us to send our teams directly to the schools.
“When we go there and vaccinate 400 pupils that would be
good. We are actually going into schools whether it’s a day or boarding school.
“It will make our work easier with the assistance of the
teachers and the teams we already have on the ground now.” Sunday Mail
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