By TellZim ReporterBIKITA – A health crisis is looming in Bikita District following reports that several health facilities have run out of critical infant vaccines, raising fears of widespread disruptions to routine immunisation programmes and leaving mothers desperate.The shortage involves the Oral Polio Vaccine booster (OPV) and the Rotavirus vaccine, which are administered to infants at six, ten, and fourteen weeks as part of Zimbabwe’s national immunisation programme.Parents and guardians who spoke to TellZim News said they had been turned away from clinics after being informed that the vaccines were out of stock. Some women have been forced to travel outside the district in search of immunisation services, spending money they do not have and enduring long journeys with their young children.Contacted for comment, Masvingo Provincial Medical Director Dr Amadeus Shamhu said he could not immediately confirm the situation and needed to first verify the matter with district authorities.“I am not sure about that position as of yet. I need to confirm with the district first. You can also get in touch with the DMO,” said Dr Shamhu.When TellZim News contacted Bikita District Medical Officer (DMO) Dr Thalia Mungwari, she initially said she wanted to check with the vaccine focal person. The following day, she said she was in a meeting and would call back, but she never did by the time of publishing.Sources familiar with the situation said the shortages had affected several clinics in the district since Monday, May 18, 2026.One woman who visited Negovano Clinic seeking the 14week immunisation dose for her child described the anguish of being turned away.“I went to the hospital to have my child vaccinated for the 14week programme and was told there was no OPV and Rotavirus vaccine available. We were told to check again next week. I also visited nearby clinics, including Mandara, others in Bikita and Nyika, but was told the vaccines were not there,” she said.She added that one of the women who had accompanied her to the clinic ended up travelling to Zaka so that her child could get the booster and vaccine.“One of the women we were with ended up travelling to Zaka so that her child could get vaccinated,” she said.Another mother, who requested anonymity, described the shortages as deeply concerning and urged government authorities to urgently address the situation.“Lack of critical medicines in hospitals is a violation of our rights. This is worrying for us as mothers because we are responsible for the wellbeing of our children,” she said.Without these vaccines, young children are left vulnerable to polio, a highly infectious disease that can cause permanent paralysis and rotavirus, a leading cause of severe diarrhoea that can lead to dehydration, hospitalization, and even death.Bikita District has two rural hospitals, Chikuku and Bikita Rural Hospital and two referral hospitals, Mashoko and Silveira Mission hospitals, as well as about 25 clinics. The reported shortages threaten to undo years of progress in immunisation coverage and leave thousands of infants at risk.
