The Sunday Mail
Debra Matabvu
Chiedza Mugwagwa (30) eagerly waits to receive her Covid-19 jab at a makeshift vaccination station in her village.
She and the other women in Hurungwe, Mashonaland West, form a meandering queue, which surpasses that of their male counterparts.
They are among many rural women who have embraced the Covid-19 vaccination programme, with authorities applauding the high number of females that have are inoculated.
The Covid-19 vaccination programme recently started in the rural areas with figures showing that the programme has been well received.
“We thought we were safe,” she told the publication. We never thought the virus would reach the rural areas and with the way the cases are rising in the surrounding villages, it is becoming very scary,” Chiedza told the publication recently.
“You no longer need convincing to get the vaccine.”
Chief coordinator of Covid-19 response in the Office of the President and Cabinet, Dr Agnes Mahomva said rural vaccination has been progressing well across the country.
“Government has distributed the vaccines across the country and vaccination is progressing well,” she said.
“Areas such as Mashonaland West, Mashonaland East and Matabeleland North have recorded a high number of vaccinated people.
“Among the vaccinated are women living or working in the rural areas.
“However only pregnant and lactating women are not being vaccinated, but everyone else is being vaccinated.
“Reviews and consultations are being done to determine if pregnant and lactating women can be vaccinated.”
Senator Abel Mbasera, who is also a traditional chief in Hurungwe, said the turn out in the rural areas has been positive.
“At first there was hesitancy because of rumours about side-effects, and how the vaccine affects fertility,” he said.
“And because of deep-rooted structural inequalities and patriarchal values, women often need permission from their husbands to get these types of vaccines.
“However, I must say the awareness programmes that have been conducted by the Ministry of Health and Childcare in these areas have helped a lot.
“There is a huge number of women coming out and getting the Covid-19 jab and at times they out number their male counterparts.”
Matabeleland North provincial medical director Dr Munekayi Padingani said vaccination had tremendously improved over the past few weeks.
“Vaccination has improved over the past few weeks even in some of the remotest areas such as Binga, Hwange and Bubi,” he said.
“We have recorded an increase in the number of women being vaccinated in these areas.
Zimbabwe recently recommended the use of five vaccines namely, Sinopharm, Sinovac, Sputnik V, Covaxin, and Johnson & Johnson, with the aim to vaccinate 10 million of its adult population by year-end.
To date over 3 million people have been vaccinated.
The third wave, which hit the country during the beginning of the winter season, saw rural areas being hit the most.
Government has responded by intensifying the vaccination programme across the country especially in rural areas.
A number of interventions, such as the introduction of makeshift vaccination centres to ensure that areas that are not near health care facilities have access to vaccines, have been introduced.
Covid-19 vaccination awareness programmes have also been introduced to ensure that villagers have enough information.
Mobile teams are now visiting the village vaccination points, which is useful and critical for the elderly who would normally find it difficult to get to the nearest clinic.
Government has also started vaccinating farm workers, at construction sites such as dams and roads in remote areas.
