Zimpapers Logo

Mashudu Netsianda, Senior Reporter
GOVERNMENT has announced that there is a need for massive information dissemination on the Sinopharm vaccine to debunk myths that are being peddled on various social media platforms.

Zimbabwe kickstarted its vaccination programme yesterday after receiving a donation of 200 000 doses of the vaccine from China with Bulawayo set to roll out the programme on Monday.

The vaccines were initially expected to arrive in Bulawayo yesterday, but there was a delay with Provincial Affairs Minister Judith Ncube saying an update will be given.

The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, Mr Nick Mangwana told ZBC that the Covid-19 vaccination programme, which started in Harare yesterday will be taken to various parts of the country with the Bulawayo roll out expected on Monday.

He said the drive to inform the nation on the vaccine is meant to give citizens balanced information as they decide on whether to be vaccinated or not.

Speaking in an interview with ZBC, Mr Mangwana, who was in Bulawayo yesterday, said there is need for massive information dissemination on the vaccine from China to demystify various myths that are being peddled on various social media platforms.

“There is a tendency sometimes that the message is framed and it ends up just in town. My visit is to ensure that our teams that are working in the countryside and speak to the lady that is going to the well, speak to the people in the fields. When we talk about people in outlying areas we are also talking about people in the rural areas, so there is a need for them to be informed,” he said.

“There has been a lot of scaremongering in the last week, misinformation, and disinformation. Our duty is to make sure that the right information gets there.”

Mr Mangwana said the fact that Vice President and Minister of Health and Child Care Dr Constantino Chiwenga volunteered to become the first person to be vaccinated against Covid-19 at a ceremony in Harare, reflects faith and confidence in the vaccines.

“Today (yesterday) is a great day in our fight against Covid-19 because we have started for the first time to see some sort of treatment. We saw the Vice President Constantino Chiwenga, who is also Minister of Health taking the first injection. This shows a show of faith and a shot in confidence. We can safely say from today (yesterday) we have rolled out the vaccination programme,” he said.

“The purpose of my visit to this part of the country is to ensure that the message goes right to the grassroots, to each and everybody regardless of where they stay.”

Minister Ncube said an update will be made once the doses arrive in Bulawayo with an official handover ceremony set to take place.

“We are still waiting for the vaccines from Harare and once they arrive, we will update our people so that everyone in the province is made aware. We agreed that upon arrival, the media should be invited to come and cover the handover ceremony,” she said. — @mashnets