Covid-19 vaccine only for the big-wigs
The Government of Zimbabwe yesterday said that it is encountering challenges to import enough vaccines. As a result it will prioritise Cabinet Minister, Senior Government officials, Members of Parliament, the security sector and front line health workers over the general public.
This is despite the fact the majority of the affected are the ordinary citizens. New cases are on the steep rise and the deaths from the Covid-19 virus have surpassed the 1000 mark.
Last week Zimbabwe lost Ministers Sibusiso Busi Moyo, Joel Biggie Matiza and Ellen Gwaradzimba due to Covid-19 among other prominent people. However, the number of fatalities from the general public is much higher than the figures from the big-wigs.
Out of the 326 people that tested positive on the 25th of January 2021 bringing the total number of cases to 7694, only 105 people are in hospitals. The head of monitoring and evaluation in the Health and Child Care ministry, Robert Mudyirandima disclosed the information on the way the vaccination process will occur.
During a virtual meeting he said,
“There is a need for a vaccine to control the spread of Covid-19. We have to know which vaccine meets our requirements and which one we need most. Most vaccines have not passed the phase three trials. The vaccine might not be enough. So there will be a group that will be given the first priority such as health workers, Ministers and members of the security sector. “
Covid-19 vaccine only for the big-wigs
Funds to procure the vaccine are still being mobilised. This is because the money to be used for procuring the vaccines was not factored in the MoHCC budget. The cost is the vaccine will range from US$2 to about US$9 per dose.
On the other side, Health Analyst Itai Rusike says the government should prioritise frontline health workers and the elderly before inoculation politicians and the general public.
Austin Chikodza a scholar believes that there should be no special treatment to certain categories of people because of their social status.
“Only frontline health workers should get the vaccine first after that the ordinary public follows. No one is safe”, he said.