Hosia Mviringi
Many countries around the world were caught unawares by a rampaging novel Covid-19 pandemic.
In many developed countries, medical facilities were reduced to mere receiving bays for dead bodies as the pandemic hit with unprecedented intensity.
Zimbabwe was not spared in this deadly predicament as the nation lost a considerable number of loved ones to the disease.
It is therefore out of this painful experience that a relook at national priorities has become imperative.
In his Independence address, President Emmerson Mnangagwa reaffirmed the nation’s resolve to strengthen its health systems to defeat the pandemic and to respond efficiently to future health emergencies.
“The pandemic has sadly seen our nation lose many of our beloved citizens, including decorated heroes and heroines of the liberation struggle.
Lessons continue to be learnt from this global health emergency and our country is emerging stronger in the fight against the pandemic,” he said.
The Covid-19 pandemic has provided the necessary challenge to national players to come together for a noble cause, to unite and pull resources together to capacitate the health sector.
“Zimbabwe is grateful for the financial and material support and solidarity from friendly nations and development partners in our efforts to mitigate the impact of the pandemic.
I also commend the local private sector, individuals, institutions of higher learning, churches and other stakeholders for their support,” said the President.
On February 18 2021 the nation launched an ambitious vaccination program which targets to achieve a national herd immunity of 60 per cent. You date 280000 people have been vaccinated against Covid-19, placing Zimbabwe among the top three in Southern Africa in terms of vaccination rollout efficiency.
As at April 11 2021 Zimbabwe had vaccinated 1.3 per cent of it’s population placing it at third position in Southern Africa just behind the Seychelles and Eswatini whose combined populations are a fraction of Zimbabwe’s.
Finance Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube has set aside US$100milliothe n for the progressive purchase of Covid-19 vaccines. He promised an accelerated procurement of life-saving saving vaccines at a pace of one million doses per month stathe rating second quarter of 2021.
Going forward, it is imperative to take charge of the Public Health Security of the nation n and the government recognises the need to strengthen local research and development in the medical value chain.
Institutions of higher learning, hospitals and drug manufacturing entities are being re-capitalised and revamped to meet the desired standards and efficiencies in order to be able to respond to modern day medical challenges.
Local institutions will be empowered to participate fully in the entire medicines and vaccines value chain from development, production and the commercial aspects.
National systems will be empowered to respond efficiently to future medical emergencies through an elaborate revamp of existing medical infrastructure and building of new modern facilities countrywide, while training and retraining of critical medical staff is ongoing.
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