COMMUNITY engagement, aggressive advocacy and social mobilisation strategies are helping push up COVID-19 vaccination numbers in Hurungwe, one of the districts that failed to reach the 70% herd immunity at the height of the pandemic.
A stakeholders meeting held at Karoi District Hospital on Monday heard that community engagement by volunteers is helping in the drive for COVID-19 vaccination in the Mashonaland West province district.
“Our community engagement programmes by both local and outreach volunteers are paying off in the COVID-19 vaccination drive in Hurungwe through a door-to-door vaccination drive that has seen the number of people vaccinated going up,” Hurungwe health promotions officer, Komberero Gotosa, told stakeholders.
Hurungwe district development co-ordinator Andrew Tizora said the respiratory disease remained a health threat,
“Most programmes are now targeting drug and substance abuse, yet COVID-19 remains the elephant in the room. COVID is real with cases being reported of some patients suffering from the strain,” said Tizora.
Zimbabwe Association of Church-Related Hospitals (ZACH) vaccination project co-ordinator, Emmanuel Chiponda urged communities to get vaccinated.
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“Our main aim is to facilitate vaccination to everyone at the earliest and convenient time and place. As ZACH, we help communities on health matters and COVID-19 vaccination is one of our pillars,” Chiponda said.
“Our goal is aimed at contributing towards reduction in morbidity and mortality due to COVID-19 through supporting the districts in conducting COVID-19 vaccination towards achieving 70% vaccination coverage.”
ZACH is working with Zimbabwe Red Cross, through funding from Africa Centre for Diseases Control in partnership with Mastercard Foundation, among organisations which are supporting COVID-19 vaccination programmes in Mashonaland West and Midlands provinces.