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Leonard Ncube and Lingani Nyika, Chronicle Reporters
ALL is set for the massive vaccination programme for Victoria Falls residents which starts this morning as Government goes a gear up in ensuring safety of citizens especially in the resort towns.

Victoria Falls becomes the first city in the country to have massive vaccination of ordinary citizens and the process started with a series of meetings from Friday where the Ministry of Health and Child Care sought to mobilise all stakeholders and influencers in the resort city for the vaccination programme.

While vaccination of frontline workers has been ongoing countrywide for the past one month, Government took a step to vaccinate all Victoria Falls residents to ensure that the city is protected as it readies itself for reopening of the tourism industry.

This is also aimed at boosting confidence for visitors in the wake of the global Cocvid-19 pandemic which left the economy grounded.

There were about 33 000 people in Victoria Falls in 2012 when the last census was held and the number is estimated to have grown to more than 40 000, and everyone above 18 years and not suffering from any chronic disease is encouraged to take the jab.

Government set aside enough doses for all Victoria Falls residents to have two jabs as efforts are underway to vaccinate 10 million people in the country. A truckload of the doses was expected in Victoria Falls from Bulawayo late yesterday.

Training of vaccinators comprising health workers and others drawn from various key stakeholders including members of the Joint Operations Command was done at Chinotimba Hall, and Health and Child Care Deputy Minister John Mangwiro said this was meant to ensure smooth running of the programme.

A hailer was used to notify residents around suburbs about the vaccination.

Six static vaccination centres have been established at Victoria Falls Hospital, Chinotimba Clinic, ZAP, The Health Bridge, Dr Gwenhamo Surgery and ZRP Clinic while mobile teams will visit respective hotels and other organisations.

The vaccination will also spread to rural communities in the Hwange District.

Dr Mangwiro who is being accompanied by Dr Maxwell Mareza Hove, a Chief Director Curative Services in the ministry, toured the facilities yesterday.

“We are training people today and tomorrow we will be ready to vaccinate, doses are arriving, fridges are here. The training is ongoing and since we have extended the vaccination, we are training others to beef up health workers on how it is done because we want to roll-out to be smooth. Some will be getting their second dose while others are getting their first but we want to appeal to everyone to get vaccinated,” said Dr Mangwiro.

He commended the Victoria Falls City Council, hospitality Industry, JOC, political parties and other stakeholders for their cooperation in the city’s health matters.

Dr Mangwiro appealed the members of the public, especially men, to embrace the vaccination programme.

“The President conferred city status on Victoria Falls and now that we are opening the economy, we need to make sure citizens are protected. The commitment I have seen here in Victoria Falls is rare and should be replicated in other cities,” he said.

Victoria Falls Mayor Councillor Somveli Dlamini encouraged residents to take the vaccination seriously as it is critical in resuscitation of the city’s economy. – @ncubeleon.