Rumbidzayi Zinyuke
Health Reporter
Zimbabweans in some communities need to face the myths, misconceptions and misinformation that has seen some ordinary people decline the free Covid-19 vaccines despite their exceptional levels of safety and high level of effectiveness, public health experts have said.
While demand for vaccination has been increasing, there are some communities that have not fully embraced the life-saving jabs at a time the country is experiencing the third wave of infections, the worst and deadliest of the three.
Covid-19 cases and deaths roughly doubled in the month of July alone with 1 743 people dying from the disease and 58 996 being infected. That represented 49,35 percent of all deaths recorded by the last day of the month and 54,19 percent of all infections confirmed.
Community Working Group on Health (CWGH) executive director Mr Itai Rusike said the high number of deaths being registered needed continued proactive measures by everyone: Government, communities and other stakeholders.
“CWGH is worried that people continue to die because they are reluctant to receive the free vaccinations because of the widely-held myths, misconceptions as well as misinformation peddled mainly through the social media. The rate of vaccine uptake in some communities is frighteningly low and it calls for urgent proactive actions to encourage people to freely accept vaccination,” he said.
He suggested a major campaign to tackle the fake advice and discouraging messages and wanted all trusted and influential sources of information which include community leaders such as traditional leaders, teachers, business people, pastors and community-based organisations to cascade credible information to the local people.
This has largely been done. The Government itself has pushed hard to give the example, with President Mnangagwa taking his shots publicly in the company of Senator Douglas Mwonzora. Many CEOs have led the way at places of work, and most traditional and religious leaders have endorsed vaccination.
There has been discouragement in some political circles and there are still some religious leaders, often following the politically motivated anti-vaxer campaigns by right-wing Americans, who have been trying to persuade their flocks not to get the jabs, The safety record after well over 2,5 million doses is perfect. No one has fallen ill.
Mr Rusike said:
“This is no time to play politics or gain religious advantages by exploiting people’s ignorance or mistrust of certain issues.
“One life lost is one too many as vaccines are safe, effective and save lives. CWGH has established that community leadership is an important contributor to social development. Elected officials and community leaders play significant roles in times of disasters like the Covid-19 pandemic in both receiving and delivering messages and information,” he said.