Embrace vaccination — First Lady First lady Auxillia Mnangagwa addresses elderly widows, widowers, disabled and other vulnerable groups on Covid-19 in Dotito yesterday

Tendai Rupapa in DOTITO
NO ONE should be left behind in the ongoing vaccination drive to ensure herd immunity is attained and normalcy returns, the country’s health ambassador First Auxillia Mnangagwa has said.

She made the remarks during an interactive session here on vaccination and ways to prevent Covid-19.

Amai Mnangagwa has taken her Covid-19 prevention and awareness campaigns to rural communities after realising that they too were bearing brunt of the pandemic which has wreaked havoc globally, killing millions of people.

Most people especially in rural communities dreaded vaccination due to misinformation which made them believe they would die once they were inoculated.

However, the First Lady used yesterday’s interactive session with the elderly widows, widowers, people with disabilities and other vulnerable groups to correct myths and misconceptions about Covid-19 and vaccination.

She also distributed blankets, food and toiletries to the vulnerable groups.

Amai Mnangagwa also spoke candidly against child marriages which are rife in Mashonaland Central Province, the use of young girls in appeasing avenging spirits and promoted traditional dishes which are readily available and had immense nutritional and medicinal benefits.

Participants at yesterday’s session roundly concurred with the First Lady and condemned child marriages which Mashonaland Central had gained infamy for.

The interactive session, which sought to educate people more on vaccination and ways to prevent the spread of Covid-19, was held in strict observance to health protocols of masking up, washing hands and maintaining social distance.

People were also being tested to avoid the spread of the virus.

“I have come to talk to you about Covid-19 because the cold weather is persisting due to climate change. I have also come to give you more blankets to keep you warm because the cold brings many diseases,” she said warmly.

The First Lady asked the elderly the kind of diseases that were common in the cold season and an elderly woman left the gathering in stitches when she said the cold left people with cracked cheeks and feet while it also caused malaria.

Another woman added that the cold also caused problems in the uterus.

Gogo Vhirizhina Mangomeko who is living with disability said whenever it is cold, those with disabilities experience turbering which makes them to drag themselves from one point to the other due to the absence of wheelchairs and crutches.

The First Lady heard her plight and said she would engage her Angel of Hope Foundation’s partners and see how best she could assist them.

She warned that Covid-19 was real hence the need for people to take preventive measures and embrace vaccination.

“I am happy that you know about the vaccination programme and for those who are still to be vaccinated, I encourage you to do so. I personally got my two jabs. Vice President Chiwenga was the first to be vaccinated, while the President also got his jabs in Victoria Falls. Tales that you are being fed with that you will die once vaccinated are false because we are still all alive.

People being tested for Covid-19 before their interactive session on COVID with the First lady Auxillia Mnangagwa in Dotito yesterday. — Pictures: John Manzongo

“Do not be afraid, do not be lied to. We cannot move forward if we leave anyone behind on vaccination. If we do not achieve herd immunity it affects our children’s education and even churches and funerals we won’t attend,” she said.

The elderly thanked her for educating them and clarifying on issues surrounding vaccination.

They promised to get vaccinated and not to listen to baseless hearsay.

The First Lady asked people what they understood about preventive measures at funerals.

She further asked what they were labelled if they did not attend funerals.

Gogo Veronica Chibondo said: “We are immediately reminded by other villagers that if we don’t attend funerals of other families, we will suffer the same fate if we encounter a bereavement.”

Another elderly woman chipped: “If you don’t attend funerals, you are told that you are being arrogant and proud. They even brand you a witch and to avoid this you end up attending funerals despite the pandemic.”

Amai Mnangagwa said it was paramount to protect lives than follow ruinous wishes of the people.

“Can we follow the wishes of the people and gather in numbers at funerals in this pandemic. We should protect our lives. It is now different from the past when we gathered at funerals in large numbers. This disease resulted in a change of many things that include limited numbers at funerals and we should follow that,” she said.

In most communities, one lady said some families were burying their dead alone without informing health officials and even conduct body viewing, including for people who would have died of Covid-19.

In response, the First Lady said: “We encourage people to ferry all sick relatives to hospital where experts diagnose the cause of sickness or death which helps prevent the spread of the pandemic,” she said.

“How do we help our relatives who are not following the Covid-19 protocols because the disease is not in towns alone because even here in rural areas it is widespread and is not selective?” she asked.

An elderly women holds blankets which were donated by First lady Auxillia Mnangagwa during her interactive session with them in Dotito yesterday

Sekuru Casper Zambuko (72) responded saying people should follow instructions from the Ministry of Health and Child Care.

“We also thank you Amai for these teachings because here in the rural areas some people are not adhering to Covid-19 prevention measures hence the spread of this virus,” he said.

The health ambassador said the Ministry of Health and Child Care was working hard to protect the nation from Covid-19 and implored people to play their part.

She spoke about health eating and asked an elderly man to name healthy foods.

Sekuru Gilbert Kamurungu left people in stitches when he said “carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, fibre and minerals.”

However, an elderly lady said all the elements mentioned earlier by sekuru Kamurungu could be found in dried vegetables, millet sadza, groundnuts, pumpkin seeds and sweet potatoes.

She mentioned different types of health foods and the First Lady urged them to preserve these foods for future consumption.

Amai Mnangagwa also raised the issue of today’s youths misbehaving in communities adding that there was need for guidance from elderly members of the community.

Gogo Vinas Majena (52), who is disabled, narrated a touching story.

“I have my 13-year-old daughter who stresses me by sleeping around with boys. I try by all means to teach her but she takes no heed. I always give her an example that I got married at 22 and ask her why she was rushing into sexual relations at that tender age. She often tells me that I got married late because of disability and she says times have changed hence I should not bother her,” she said.

Sekuru Ben Musekiwa said the outlawing of corporal punishment had caused problems because even the laws no longer allowed the spanking of children.

Women sing during the interactive session on COVID 19 with the First lady Auxillia Mnangagwa in Dotito where the people also received blankets and food hampers yesterday

“We grew up well-mannered because our parents would beat us when we misbehaved. If you beat a child nowadays, you will be reported to the police and we fear getting arrested. The children are taking advantage of the law,” he said.

The First Lady pleaded with decision-makers to revisit the law.

She also tackled the issue of child marriages and asked: “What is it that is causing this? Is it because of how the woman next door dresses or eats and you end up forcing your daughter to get married so that you have money and to match your neighbour’s lifestyle.

“But you would have killed the young girl’s future yet she would have been the future President, First Lady, doctor or engineer. Marrying her off at tender age will cause her not to proceed with education. Let us protect our girls.”

Touched by the First Lady’s presentation, an elderly man said parents were equally to blame for their children’s bad behaviour because they had no time with them.

“We as parents are to blame. We are not having time with our children. We have no time to sit down with these children to teach them. They dress badly leaving our homes wearing miniskirts in our presence. They even prepare meals for us while dressed in skimpy short dresses,” he said in a voice filled with emotion.

Another elderly woman, Gogo Jane Madzivanzira, triggered laughter when she said there were organisations that were giving children “Feming planning tablets”.

She meant family planning.

“So what are these children learning. Indirectly they are being taught to have sexual Intercourse at tender ages. Even condoms, why give them condoms at school, what are these organisations teaching them?”

The First Lady pleaded with the elderly to take their role of educating children to follow the right path.

She also asked why some people were marrying off children at tender ages and response an elderly woman said the young girls in some communities were being used to appease avenging spirits hence marrying them off.

Amai Mnangagwa castigated the practice saying the law will take its course if those involved are caught.

Minister of State for Mashonaland Central Provincial and Devolution Affairs Monica Mavhunga said the First Lady’s visit was timely because so far, her province had recorded 7 292 positive cases, while 5 090 people had recovered.

She said 190 had succumbed to Covid-19.

“Amai your awareness campaign and donation have come at the appropriate time. Our elderly want warmth and we are truly thankful for the blankets and food. Amai, you assess the needs of the people and take action and you are not selective,” she said.

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