This was revealed yesterday by Information minister Monica
Mutsvangwa during a post-Cabinet media
briefing in Harare where she said the Executive had agreed that it would take
its time to ultimately make the decision on which vaccine to import to
vaccinate citizens against the coronavirus.
“In that regard, Cabinet endorsed the following key
guidelines: that Zimbabwe’s vaccination programme, in particular the choice of
vaccines, needs to be science-based, with adequate researches and findings
guiding decision-making and the course of action,” Mutsvangwa said.
“Zimbabwe will take decisions independently in the national
interest, without undue influence,” she said. This comes amid reports that
neighbouring South Africa had suspended the planned roll out of AstraZeneca
vaccine after realising that its efficacy to immunise against the second strain
of COVID-19 in that country was much lower, although it could help prevent
severe disease, hospitalisations and death.
The global respiratory disease had as of yesterday killed 1
353 Zimbabweans and infected over 34 000 others. There have been concerns that
the government was taking long to inform the nation about the choice of drugs
that it would procure, with pressure groups urging it to shun Chinese vaccines.
However, the government said it would not be rail-roaded
into making rash decisions. The country plans to vaccinate 10 million people
and has already accepted a donation of 200 000 doses of Sinopharm vaccines from
China, which are expected in Zimbabwe next week.
The government has also said that during the roll out of
the vaccination programme, health workers, the elderly and other vulnerable
groups would be prioritised.
Corporates will also be allowed to procure vaccines for
their staff provided they cede 50% to the government.
“The private sector will also support government through a
formula that they will keep 50% of what they procure for their employees,”
Mutsvangwa said.
Meanwhile, Health and Child Care deputy minister John
Mangwiro said the COVID-19 vaccine would be taken on a voluntary basis.
“The vaccine will be free of charge and only those willing
will receive it, but we strongly urge people to take the vaccine. We already
have structures that we have previously used for other vaccination programmes
like polio, and these are still in place.
“We will need a lot of data. We will also collect blood to
check for antibodies to COVID-19 in the participants, and also to check if they
had the disease at the time of the test.
“We need people to be ready to give the information which
will also be critical when getting the second dose, which is administered
around 30 days after the first dose,” Mangwiro said.
He also said while those not willing to take the vaccine
would not be forced, empirical scientific evidence had proved that vaccination
against COVID-19 was a better option in fighting the respiratory disease.
Newsday
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