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.
“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.”
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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.
