The Sunday Mail
Rumbidzai Muparutsa
Government has vaccinated 390 910 people in the high-density suburbs of Glen View, Glen Norah, Budiriro and Mbare, which represents 92 percent of the targeted population.
The vaccination programme, which was launched in Budiriro on October 3, is considered a secondary measure in curbing the epidemic that has claimed 49 lives and affected thousands of people, particularly in Budiriro and Glen View.
Director of Epidemiology and Disease Control in the Ministry of Health and Child Care Dr Portia Manangazira told The Sunday Mail yesterday that the response from the people was both remarkable and commendable.
“In Mbare, we had targeted 87 664 people and we vaccinated 91 553 people, 4 072 of them under 5 years of age.
“Of the 79 486 targeted in Glen Norah, 87 125 people were vaccinated and for Glen View, 113 013 people received the vaccination out of the targeted 123 683.
“Our coverage for Budiriro was 75 percent as we administered the vaccines to 99 219 out of 131 889.
“Our total coverage was 92 percent, which is extremely good,” she said.
Statistics indicate that 23 010 and 22 715 were males and females, respectively, in the one to four years age group, while 50 654 males and 51 986 females were between the ages of five and 14 years.
However, 112 122 males and 130 423 females were above 15 years old.
In total, 11,7 percent of the total population that was vaccinated is between one and four years old.
Further, 26,3 percent is between five and 14 years old, while 62 percent are more than 15 years old.
Health officials applauded the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education for spreading the message in schools as their participation boosted figures from other vaccination centres.
Dr Manangazira urged the public not to panic as those who were already incubating the disease are likely to experience nausea and diarrhoea as the vaccine flashes out the virus.
“The public should remain calm during this period where cholera signs and symptoms have been re-occurring as the vaccination starts functioning within the human body in a period of seven to 14 days,” she explained.
Government says the vaccine is safe and does not have any know side effects.
Last week, the Health Ministry also vaccinated some Government officials and Members of Parliament.
Vaccinations will begin in Epworth tomorrow, while the same exercise will be conducted in Chitungwiza on October 17th.
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