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Vaccination process open to manipulation

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Vaccination process open to manipulation
Covid-19 vaccination card 

Kimberly Kusauka

There has been rising concern over the vaccination program’s lack of foolproof ways to avoid double vaccination with calls being made to computerize the process, TellZim News has learnt.  

Talking to TellZim News, Masvingo Provincial Medical Director Amedeous Shamhu said that it cannot be ruled out that a person can get two Sinovac jabs after getting two Sinopharm ones since the process is not computerized, even though it would be very far-fetched.

“We cannot really say that it is not possible for a person to receive two doses from two different vaccines since our system is not computerized.

“We would however really wonder why a person would get vaccinated from two different vaccines because a normal person would not do such a thing. Actually we will consider it total madness,” said Shamhu.

The concern may have emanated from the depletion of first doses of vaccines in many health centers at a time when people were warming up to the idea of getting vaccinated.  

Masvingo Provincial Taskforce spokesperson Roders Irimayi told TellZim News that people were being educated on the vaccination process, and it would be very unfortunate to find people who are getting double vaccination.

“We are on the ground educating people on the vaccination process, and it would be unfortunate to have people who take advantage of the system and get double vaccination, which will deprive others.

“No one knows what will happen if a person gets two different vaccines and I do not think anyone would do that to themselves, because when one gets vaccinated they are given a vaccination card,” Irimayi said.

In the past few months, people were raising concern on the simplicity of the vaccination card, with some saying that there were chances one could manipulate the system using the vaccination card since it was not computerized.    

The country is expected to receive 25 000 Sputnik V doses from Russia and 500 000 Sinopharm doses from China which are expected this Saturday.

As at June 24 a total number of 724 582 people have been vaccinated against Covid-19 in Zimbabwe.

Covid-19 positive cases continue to rise in Zimbabwe

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Covid-19 positive cases continue to rise in Zimbabwe

 …as Masvingo province tops the list

Blessed Chauke

Covid-19 positive cases in Zimbabwe continue to shoot up with Masvingo province recording more cases in the past few weeks.

In Masvingo province, Chiredzi and Masvingo districts have since been declared hotspots.

On June 4 only two positive cases were recorded, but the number has already shot up to a total of 325 Covid-19 positive cases by June 23.

Masvingo Provincial Medical Director Amadeus Shamhu confirmed to TellZim News last week that investigations have since been launched to ascertain the cause of the rising numbers of Covid-19 cases, but the results are yet to be released as they do not want to speculate.

“I am yet to receive the findings of the investigations we launched in Chiredzi after noticing the rising number of Covi-19 cases there, but if you contact me on Monday (June 21) I should have them by then,” Shamhu said.

Masvingo Provincial Covid-19 taskforce spokesperson Rodgers Irimayi also told TellZim News that the risk communication team is on the ground doing awareness campaigns in Chiredzi, which has increased the number of people being tested.

“We have a risk communication team on the ground doing awareness campaigns and the number of people being tested has definitely increased, which also contributes to the high number of positive cases.

“Increase in number of cases could also mean there is increased testing, which is a good thing,” Irimayi said.

Irimayi however added that it has already been established that those who have been vaccinated are more resistant to Covid-19 than those who are not.

“Vaccination has given those who have been jabbed some immunity against Covi-19, and even when they test positive, the effects are much better for them than those who have not been vaccinated,” Irimayi added.

Meanwhile, together with Chiredzi, Masvingo district Covid-19 cases have lately been dominating provincial statistics after an outbreak at Morgenster Teachers College last week.

The institution has been placed under lockdown and Covid-19 restrictions have been tightened across the two districts, which have been on the national hotspot map for over 2 weeks now.

IcodZim engages Masvingo local authorities on disaster preparedness

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IcodZim engages Masvingo local authorities on disaster preparedness

Veeslee Mhepo

Institute of Community Development Zimbabwe (IcodZim) has engaged councils in Masvingo province on how they can mitigate Covid-19 effects on women with disabilities to improve their legal, policy and administrative challenges.

The engagement aimed at placing women with disabilities at the center of sustainable and resilient Covid-19 response and recovery plan.

IcodZim director Talent Maposa said there is absence of localized disaster preparedness and response plan to help affected women with disabilities to a greater extent and urged councils to   find ways to deal with Covid-19 in case another wave strikes again.

“Councils should have plans and resources set aside for disasters especially this pandemic because no one knows how it is going to end and what is going to come next.

“The available structures are in form of taskforce Committees at district level and lack of a localized disaster preparedness and response plan during the Covid-19 affected most women with disabilities,” said Maposa.

Bikita Rural District Council (RDC) Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Peter Chibi said Covid-19 affected women with disabilities on accessing information due to absence of community engagement, adding that there is need for inclusion of women with disabilities in engagements that increase their participation.

“The inclusion of people with disabilities in socio- economic activities is of paramount importance especially during the Covid-19 period and women with disabilities have not been able to access information during the pandemic due to lack of participation and representation in the taskforce.

“RDCs should have specific funds reserved for disasters in order to help reduce economic problems in the event of a disaster,” said Chibi.

Mwenezi RDC representative Sinikiwe Mhlanga said women with disabilities were subjected to inhuman treatment and discrimination at quarantine centers and lack of disability friendly infrastructure is a major challenge to women with disabilities.

“The quarantine centers were not disability friendly and this resulted in ill treatment of women with disabilities, exposing them to stigma.

“The other major challenges we are facing is that our infrastructure is not disability friendly and we working at building ramps at all council offices,” said Mhlanga.

Chiredzi Town Council representative Washington Mbaura said they witnessed a spike in gender based violence (GBV) cases involving women and girls with disabilities during the lockdown period.

Masvingo City Council represented by Ashley Jinjika also said women with disabilities faced numerous challenges but they managed to find solutions to some of the challenges.

“Women with disabilities faces a lot of challenges such as lack of information kiosks, water challenges and resource mobilization challenge.

“We managed to launch a Covid 19 support fund, council rented houses and stands to women with disabilities, provision of market stalls, payment plans, piped water scheme and provided Jairos Jiri with five hectare stands for their income generating projects,” said Jinjika.

Viset launches Medical Aid facility for vendors

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Viset launches Medical Aid facility for vendors

Tinaani Nyabereka

Vendors Initiative for Social and Economic Transformation (VISET) last week launched a medical aid facility to cater for their membership.

The initiative will cover the needs of victims of police and municipality brutality particularly in light of the ongoing demolition exercises in Harare, TellZim News has learnt.

VISET Director Sam Wadzai said the establishment of the facility was necessitated by the rising disregard for human life by the law enforcement agents

“We have established this facility so that we offer medical assistance to our membership as we discovered that many members experience injuries at the hands of riot police.

“This facility does not cater for Covid-19 testing. However VISET is working with partners like OXFAM on vaccination campaigns for their membership and the general public to counter fake news and conspiracy theories. The facility is available for all VISET members countrywide,” said Wadzai.

He however noted that the informal sector had been greatly affected by lockdown restrictions that had limited movements for both farmers and customers across the country.

“Our vendors have been affected by the current restrictions and the ban on commuter omnibus operators outside of the ZUPCO facility looking at the current surges in the Covid-19 cases.

“Another disturbance is the recent crackdown by the Provincial Development Coordinator for Harare Metropolitan Province, Tafadzwa Muguti who decided to embark on the destruction of informal traders’ work places in defiance of a High Court order barring him from doing so.

“There is no alternative site at all to relocate our people. The City fathers just decided to destroy the existing markets without plan B or an alternative. This is why we are against the whole exercise because it’s not informed by any planning ethos,” Wadzai said.

No printers at Zaka registry

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No printers at Zaka registry

Finance deputy Min Clemence Chiduwa

Brighton Chiseva
ZAKA – The deputy Minister of Finance and Economic development and Zaka East Member of Parliament has said there are no printers at Zaka registry offices and people in the district are failing to access identity documents.
Clemence Chiduwa who is ZANU PF Zaka District Coordinating Committee (DCC) chairperson was speaking at the Provincial Coordinating Committee (PCC) meeting at Great Zimbabwe University’s Julius Nyerere School of Social Sciences over the weekend.
Chiduwa said they have discovered that more than 40 percent of the people in their party cells had no identity documents and could not register to vote. 
“We have finished cell structuring in Zaka district but we have discovered that a number of people in the cells have no IDs and cannot register to vote. So we approached the registry offices in Zaka with the intention of making sure that they get IDs.
“We were however told that the district office has no printers for the past three months and people are not getting IDs,” said Chiduwa.
When contacted for comment, Zaka District Registrar Cuthbert Mataruse said he was not allowed to comment to the media.
“I am not allowed to speak to the media, maybe you can get a comment from the provincial registrar,” said Mataruse.
However, other sources close to the matter said the computers malfunctioned when the registry offices opened after the long Covid-19 induced lockdown saying they were taken to Harare but were condemned and need to be replaced.
The sources indicated that the machines are too old, which resulted in them malfunctioning when registry offices reopened after lockdown last year.
“There were indications that the machines were complaining of a number of malfunctions and they were then taken to Harare for maintenance but were condemned and need to be replaced,” said the source.
The source further said the office had resorted to manual means and is now issuing the green pass (paper ids) which has a long process. 
“People are being given paper IDs, which means we have reverted back to the old system. 
“The process takes time because of film issues, with the IDs also at risk of getting wet and will need to be replaced at some point and this is inconvenient to the people of Zaka,” said the source.
The registry offices are also still centralized at Zaka Office and people are calling for the migration to Jerera for easy accessibility.
Strides have also been taken to address the registry issue with Zaka MP Ophias Murambiwa facilitating for the establishment of registry sub offices at Veza and Chivamba business centres.

Trio to perform community service for aborting baby

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Trio to perform community service for aborting baby

George Chimwayange 

MASVINGO-Two women and a man from Rujeko suburb in Masvingo will each perform 280 hours community service after they connived to unlawfully terminate a pregnancy.

The three who appeared before Masvingo Magistrate Grace Tupiri were initially slapped with a 14 month prison term each before six months were suspended on condition that they do not commit a similar offence in the next five years and the rest of the sentence was set for community service.

Lessly Ncube (22), Tatenda Zivuku (25) and Nicholas Matemera (25) all from Mwenezi, Rujeko and ZBS suburbs in Masvingo were arrested on June 17 after police found a lifeless foetus dumped in a plastic bag in Pangolin suburb.

The state case as presented by Prosecutor Precious Takuva was that sometime in early June, Ncube told Zivuku, who is her friend that she was pregnant and that she wanted to terminate it.

Zivuku then informed Matemera that her friend wanted to terminate a pregnancy and if he could assist, after which he agreed.

On June 16 2021 at around 6am the three accomplices connived to insert a pill into Ncube’s genitals leading to the abortion after which they placed the foetus into a plastic bag.

The following day, Zivuku took the plastic bag and threw it into a sewage drainage canal near Pangolin suburb.

Acting on a tip off, police the arrested the three who led them to the recovery of the foetus and Ncube was taken to Masvingo Provincial Hospital where she was medically examined.

Treasury not committed to fund health sector: ZIMCODD

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Treasury not committed to fund health sector: ZIMCODD

Blessed Chauke

The Zimbabwe Coalition on Debt and Development (ZIMCODD)   has blasted the government for the failure of the Treasury to prioritise funding the health sector in its report to the Zimbabwe Parliament on June 16 this year.

Commenting on Auditor General Mildred Chiri’s 2019 report, ZIMCODD noted that the Ministry of Health and Child Care made several budgets to ensure smooth service delivery but only a few funds are released from government coffers. 

“Treasury is not committed to fund the health sector regardless of the deplorable state of the sector. 

“While the Ministry of Health and Child Care budgeted ZW$155 464 000 for the implementation of key programmes including the procurement of ambulances, provision of water at referral centres, medical equipment and refurbishment of health institutions, treasury only released $2 137 277 which is only one percent of the budget which was utilised on construction works of four provincial hospitals,” read a statement by ZIMCODD.

The Auditor General’s report also highlighted the deteriorating conditions at Masvingo Provincial Hospital, the province’s biggest referrals hospital which sometimes goes for years without disposing expired drugs.  

“Service deliveries continue to plunge, posing a health risk. Masvingo Provincial Hospital had expired drugs classified drugs not disposed of contrary to section 90 of the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Act which requires disposal of all obsolete, surplus, and unserviceable assets.

“The drugs had expired between the years 1995 and 2019. In addition the, AG was not availed with application letters for the disposal of expired drugs worth $31 696 whose board of surveys had been conducted in April and November 2019,” read the ZIMCODD statement.

Masvingo Provincial Hospital was previously in the papers for having challenges of acquiring an incinerating facilities that meet the Environmental Management Agency standards, which will assist in disposing expired drugs.

Chirumanzu chieftainship custodians petition Midlands PDC

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Chirumanzu chieftainship custodians petition Midlands PDC
Julius  Chigegwe  incumbent  chief  Chirumhanzu

Tinaani Nyabereka

The council of elders in the Chirumhanzu chieftaincy has petitioned the Midlands Provincial Development Committee (PDC) over delays in the installation of a substantive chief despite the clan having submitted its nominee to the provincial chief’s council last year.

A petition obtained by this publication indicating that it was written two weeks ago by the Chirumhanzu Royal Families Dare highlighted that the traditional leadership vacuum was now causing unrest and violence in the community.

“Because of the delays in the processing of the new substantive chief within the 24 months stipulated period, chaos and dysfunction has already ensued. 

“Just recently the acting chief (Fidelis Mudzengi) removed a substantive headman identified as Bangu from his position without consulting the Clan or Dare and for no good cause. There is also appointment of a non- royal family headman outside the Dare authority,” read part of the petition.

Speaking during an interview, Vincent Jumo the Chairperson of Chirumhanzu Chieftainship Royal Families’ court said as a clan, their nominee was Julius Chimbi Chigegwe of Nherera house, who is supposed to succeed the late former chief Jerald Mudzengi who passed on in 2019.

“On the 22nd of October 2020 a meeting of Chirumhanzu chieftaincy clan chaired by the acting chief Mr. Fidelis Mudzengi  attended by the District Development Coordinator nominated Julius C Chigegwe as the candidate for the appointment of substantive chief Chirumhanzu. 

“This was in line with the requirements of the Traditional Leaders Act, which stipulates that a new chief must be appointed within 24 months after the death of a former chief. So far all formal notifications were submitted on the 25th of January this year,” said Jumo

He added that the delay in the installation of a substantive chief was also disturbing the smooth facilitation and orderly functions of traditional leaders and village heads.

“It has been four months after the expiration of the acting chief’s period (Sarapavana) and the chiefs’ council is yet to meet to receive and confirm nominations for the new substantive chief as is required. 

“Subsection 2 of 286 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe provides the function of national and provincial chiefs’ council and their impartial operations to ensure fair and smooth facilitation of orderly function of traditional leaders. It is within this provision that the chieftaincy clan seeks the audience of the Midlands provincial chiefs’ council chair, Chief Ngungumbane,” he added.

Meanwhile Midlands Provincial Chief Council Chairperson, Chief Ngungumbane Mkwananzi Zama said the Chirumhanzu Chieftainship was within the table of the provincial council and will follow traditional channels of resolving the issue.

“It is unfortunate the Royal family is spilling this issue to the press. Such issues are not solved through the press but we have channels that we follow,” he said.

The chieftaincy succession clan revolves in 11 houses of Nherera and Simba, and it is the representation of the heirs to Chief Chirumhanzu throne, TellZim News has learnt.

Government urged to subsidize Covid-19 stricken community newspapers

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Government urged to subsidize Covid-19 stricken community newspapers

CNAZ chairperson Matthew Takaona

 Perpetua Murungweni

The government of Zimbabwe has been urged to subsidize community media so as to help cushion against financial challenges in the wake of disasters like Covid-19 that negatively affect their operations.
The call was made by Community Newspapers Association of Zimbabwe (CNAZ) chairperson Matthew Takaona who said the Covid-19 pandemic has negatively affected the day to day business of most if not all community newspapers.
CNAZ chairperson pointed out that the community newspapers are playing a critical role to the community in this Covid-19 pandemic and would require all the support the can get.
He told TellZim News that with Covid-19, the printing of newspapers became a challenge since there was no collective response but rather individualistic.  
“Printing of newspapers became a challenge during Covid-19 and as community newspapers we encouraged each other to shift from print news to digital platforms.
“As community newspapers we however encouraged each other to migrate from print to digital news platforms,” said Takaona.
Apart from shifting from print to digital news, community newspapers engaged big advertisers like the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) to advertise with community newspapers to gain more revenue.
“To gain more revenue in the Covid-19 pandemic we engaged big advertisers like (RBZ) to advertise with community newspapers and they agreed to advertise with us,” said Takaona.
“ However Covid-19 brought a change to media platforms and it forced advertising revenue to drop because most advertisers were scared of using these digital platforms,” said CNAZ Chairperson.
Takaona said despite the fact that community newspapers managed to move from print to digital news, it remained a challenge to access digital news as it is very expensive for the majority.
“Community newspapers have successfully shifted from print to digital news but the challenge that remains is accessing digital information which prove to be expensive for the majority hence our readership was affected,” said Takaona.
He however highlighted that Covid-19 did not only bring harm to community newspapers, but it came with some advantages especially digital news.
“It has not all been doom because the shift from print to digital news has proved to be an advantage to community newspapers because printing was very expensive, for example 80% of a newspaper’s revenue would go towards printing.
“With print news, community newspapers faced transport cost challenges in the process of distribution and even going to and from Harare for printing,” said Takaona.  
“There are two compartments of newspapers in Zimbabwe namely the community and national newspapers. The community newspapers deal with issues that have to do with the community and the national papers concentrate on national issues. Thus the community newspapers are playing a very critical role in the Covid-19 pandemic,” said Takaona.

Covid-19 scare at Chikombedzi

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Covid-19 scare at Chikombedzi

Blessed Chauke

As Covid-19 positives cases continue to spike in Chiredzi district, people in the Chikombedzi area are living in fear of contracting the virus after an elderly man tested positive during a random testing exercise while in a hospital queue. 

A source from Chikombedzi, which is predominantly rural confirmed that one the elderly old man tested Covid-19 positive at Chikombedzi General Hospital after he visited the hospital to collect some medication.

“There is one old man who tested Covid-19 positive at Chikombedzi hospital after he went there to collect some medication.

“It resulted in all people who were at the queue to get tested since there were so many children who were there at the hospital to collect their medication and this old man was also in the queue mingling with others,” said the source.

Another person from the hospital who preferred anonymity also confirmed that there are some people other than the man who tested positive to Covid-19 but the source did not disclose the number.

“Yes, there are some people who recently tested Covid-19 positive but we are not allowed to give you details. I do not know the actual number because the tests are done from another department where I do not have more access,” said the source.

Provincial Medical Doctor Amadeus Shamhu said he is yet to receive the information yet and he will confirm with the District Medical Officer of Chiredzi.

“I did not receive that information yet. I will confirm with the District Medical Officer of Chiredzi maybe they also included those positive cases when they submitted their Covid-19 statistics of Chiredzi,” said Shamhu. 

If confirmed, the case will be Chikombedzi’s very first case but with its proximity to Chiredzi urban, which has been declared a Covi-19 hotspot things might escalate.

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