What Chiwenga told Parliament about the coronavirus vaccine roll-out

Target population for Phase 1, Stage 1 which we are talking about; who are these departments and ministries?  We have got the total number and the health workers for vaccination.

We have got the health workers for vaccination; Ministry of Health and Child Care, 49 000 and all these we will vaccinate them. Defence and Security starting with ZDF 4000 and they have 3000 plus of their health workers who are the ones who will be vaccinated.  The Police have got plus 500 health workers who will be vaccinated.  The Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services will be vaccinating over 700 health workers.  Besides, these we will be vaccinating all members of ZIMRA and our immigration workers who we term the frontline workers.  There are others who have not been put in this report, the agritex officers under Agriculture and there can be a few who might have been left out but I have just highlighted the major areas which will constitute Phase 1.

Target groups for vaccination – Phase 1 populations at high risk stage one –frontline workers which are health workers, port of entry personnel like ZIMRA, immigration, customs, security and others which I have talked about.  Stage 2 will be those in the vulnerable groups such as those with chronic illnesses such as cancer, diabetes, TB etcetera because you do not want to get this virus while having underlying conditions as it will be very difficult to treat such patients.  The Elderly population people who are 60 years and above.  Prison population and others as well as confined settlements like refugee camps are considered to be in stage 2 as they are likely to get this disease because of staying together in big numbers.  Even some of our urban settlements are not the best settlements we can talk about.  So, we will look at that and make sure that those people are saved.

Going to Phase 2, we are looking at lecturers.  All school staff populations and other staff at medium risk depending with the epidemiological picture of the disease at that time. We will also be looking at how the disease will be playing havoc in our population.

Phase 3 will be the population at low risk which will be the last group.  We have divided our people into three phases but Phase 1 has got two stages which are frontline workers and those with underlying conditions that is stage 1 and stage 2.

Training – development and adoption of training materials for all activities

• The Ministry has arranged trainings of trainers (ToTs) for provincial and district trainers.
• Provincial and District trainers will in turn train health workers at service delivery centres.
• Expanded programme on immunisation or EPI will support planning and conduct of the (ToTs).
• Online in person and blended learning that is the combination of online and in person which are the most common method which will be used to train staff.

Areas of training to include vaccine storage, communication, surveillance, vaccination and monitoring and evaluation and the AEFI and waste management.

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