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| Minister of State for Masvingo province Ezra Chadzamira |
Brighton
Chiseva
MASVINGO
– A
total of 32 000 people have been vaccinated so far in Masvingo province since
the beginning of the phased vaccination programme which started in February.
During the first phase, the province received 22 000 doses
of the Sinopharm vaccine enough to vaccinate 11 000 frontline workers and other
essential services.
The vaccination started on a low key as people doubted the
efficacy of the Chinese jabs.
Masvingo provincial Covid-19 taskforce spokesperson Rodgers
Irimayi told TellZim News that the vaccine uptake was increasing every day and
was happy with the progress and turnout.
“As of today a total number of 32 thousand people have been
vaccinated, we are happy with the numbers which are increasing every day since
the inception of the programme and we are happy with the progress that we are
making,” said Irimayi.
Masvingo Provincial Medical Doctor (PMD) Dr Amadeus Shamhu
said the vaccination programme was not open to everyone as the case in other
provinces saying they were still in the second phase targeting the education
sector, the elderly and those with chronic diseases.
He however said they were not turning away volunteers who
were not in the second phase as a notable number of people are turning out at
vaccination centers.
“We are in the second phase of the vaccination now where we
are targeting teachers, the elderly and people with chronic diseases. The
programme is yet to be opened to the public but however, we are not turning
people away, if someone comes to a vaccination center we will vaccinate them.
“We are happy with the progress we have made so far since
the turn out is increasing day by day. We urge those who are supposed to be
vaccinated in the second phase to utilize the chance to avoid congestion in the
third phase,” said Dr Shamhu.
Masvingo received the first batch of the SinoPham vaccine in
February this year which was targeting frontline workers and received the
Sinovac vaccine on its second batch of vaccines on April 12, 2021.
