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Yeukai Karengezeka Herald Correspondent
The Ministry of Health and Child Care in collaboration with the World Health Organisation and Chitungwiza City Health have begun administering the second dosage of oral cholera vaccine (OCV) in the dormitory town.

The vaccine is being administered to people who are one-year-old and above. It is being conducted in schools, clinics and at shopping centres.

The vaccination started on Monday and ends on March 18.

In an interview with The Herald yesterday, Chitungwiza Municipality public relations officer Mr Lovemore Meya said the programme is targeting over 200 000 people.

“We have begun a one-week cholera vaccination programme that will end on Monday. The vaccine is important in reducing the burden of cholera as it cuts the transmission cycle.

“Unlike the first dose that lasts for six months only, this second dose lasts up to five years and those that missed the first one have the opportunity to receive it this time around,” he said.

Mr Meya the programme will protect residents from cholera while Government is working on the rehabilitation of sewer and water infrastructure.

“This is something that cannot happen overnight as such projects are capital projects,” he said.

The programme was launched by Government in October last year after a cholera outbreak in Harare and Chitungwiza which resulted in some deaths.

No new cases have been reported since the vaccination programme.