BY MOSES MUGUGUNYEKI
PEOPLE in Mashonaland East province have been urged to take up COVID-19 jabs after it was noticed that most of them snubbed getting vaccinated to contain the respiratory virus.
Last week, Marondera Provincial Hospital superintendent Celestino Dhege raised concern over the low uptake of COVID-19 vaccination in the province, warning that it might bring the response efforts to naught.
Dhege said this while receiving a donation of personal protective equipment (PPE) from the Zimbabwe Red Cross Society.
The consignment, sourced from the Federal Foreign Office of Germany, included sanitisers, gloves, gowns, surgical masks, goggles and thermometers, among others.
Dhege said the low uptake of the vaccination was worrisome.
“Our COVID-19 vaccination uptake for the province is worrisome. Only 2 465 people have been vaccinated in the province. It’s too slow. We need to encourage each other to get vaccinated,”he said.
Government says it plans to immunise 60% of the country’s population, to achieve herd immunity by year end.
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Misinformation has been blamed for the low uptake of COVID-19 vaccination across the country.
The provincial hospital superintendent said people should not be complacent since COVID-19 was still affecting communities.
“We have had 433 health workers that contracted COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic. Having enough and adequate PPE is critical for our frontline staff. This donation is coming at the opportune time as we face the third wave.
“This is not the time to relax. We need to ensure that we abide by the guidelines — mask up, keep social distance and sanitise.”
Murewa district medical officer Reginald Gwisai said: “We need to ensure tight measures within schools and make sure that all those that test positive are confined into isolation. The isolation centre is almost done. We just have a few areas that need to be completed before we commence use of the facility.”
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