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THE move by the Bulawayo City Council to engage 18 private health institutions to turn their facilities into vaccination centres, if successful, will be a welcome development in as far as bringing convenience to residents who want to inoculate against the deadly Covid-19 virus.

Already, residents are getting vaccines from 27 centres which include all council clinics, central hospitals and some private hospitals.

If the council succeeds in its engagements with the 18 private institutions, the total number of vaccination centres will increase to 45, a development that will be good news to the people of Bulawayo who have been turning up in large numbers to be vaccinated.

The addition of 18 more vaccination centres will also ease the burden on the existing centres which have been overwhelmed by the positive response from the residents on the Government’s calls to get inoculated. The positive response has seen long queues in most of the city’s vaccination centres.

Since the city embarked on a mass vaccination drive for all residents last week, about 6 000 people are getting vaccinated daily and authorities are confident that Bulawayo could achieve herd immunity soon. The city is targeting to vaccinate at least 400 000 residents to achieve herd immunity and has surpassed 100 000 on the first dose.

Speaking to this publication on Wednesday, Bulawayo health services director Dr Edwin Sibanda they were also taking advantage of the latest Ministry of Health and Child Care circular that private practitioners can charge a nominal fee to inoculate members of the public.

The institutions can charge a nominal fee of injection by doctor of $434,35 and a jab by a nurse at $220,64.

“We are in the process of adding a further 18 private practitioners with whom we have been working in other vaccination programmes, especially children vaccination. We will start with them and other practitioners who have capacity should come forward,” said Dr Sibanda.

“Remember there is a circular from the Ministry that these people can now charge a small administration fee. So, we might find a few other guys without capacity coming forward requesting to be part of the vaccination centres. We will only allow those that have capacity. As a starting point we are targeting the 18 that we have worked with previously on other vaccination programmes.”

While welcoming the addition of vaccination centres, residents are reminded on the importance of taking part in the vaccination exercise.

Statistics from the Ministry of health and Child Care show that Zimbabwe has 91 120 confirmed cases, including 59 627 recoveries and 2 809 deaths. To date a total of 1 292 642 people have been vaccinated against Covid-19.

So far 59 104 people from Matabeleland South have been inoculated while 89 749 have received their first dose in Matabeleland North. In Bulawayo 126 773 have received their first dose.

Important also is a reminder to residents that the vaccine doesn’t necessarily prevent one from contracting Covid-19 but minimises its severity to curb fatalities. There is still need for the residents to observe Covid-19 prevention protocols like wearing of masks, social distancing, avoiding large crowds among other regulations.

There is worrying complacency however, from some members of the public who, despite alarming Covid-19 statistics, continue to violate prevention regulations.

There are also some night club owners around the city who continue to violate lockdown measures by opening their premises to patrons despite a ban on bars and night clubs.

This not only causes a reversal on the Government’s initiative to curb the spread of Covid-19 but very immoral and ruthless behaviour by those bar owners who are prepared to line their pockets at the expense of the people’s lives.

Those bars and night clubs are the biggest Covid-19 super spreaders and if they go on unchecked, a lot of people will die.

It is equally irresponsible for those residents who patronise those bars and night clubs at the height of the pandemic knowing very well that they risk contracting or spreading the virus leading to loss of lives.

Law enforcement agents are encouraged to pounce on those establishments and bring them to account as such people have become a danger to society just like Covid-19 itself.

Such bar and club owners must lose their operating licences in accordance with the law and face prosecution in the courts.

If the President of the country announces lockdown measures to ensure the safety of the people, then who are these club and bar owners to defy? Who has assured them that they are above the law let alone have special rights and protection to defy the Head of State?

The fight against Covid-19 is a responsibility for everyone. The Government has played its part by providing vaccines to Zimbabweans free of charge and implementing Covid-19 prevention regulations to ensure the safety of the citizens.

It is up to the citizens to complement the Government’s efforts by getting vaccinated and adhering to the Covid-19 regulations. It is only through collaboration that Covid-19 can be defeated and life gets back to normal.