The Zimbabwean government is obliged to ensure that the recently found Covid-19 vaccine is available to all citizens in an equitable manner and for free, Zimbabwe Association of Doctors for Human Rights (ZADHR) has stated.
In their latest monitoring and advocacy report, ZADHR noted that the Ministry of Health and Child Care should put in place measures of how to acquire and distribute the vaccine across the country.
“ZADHR joins the rest of the world in acknowledging the scientific breakthroughs in COVID-19 vaccine development announced recently. We urge the government to urgently plan and budget for the nationwide free provision of the COVID-19 vaccine to all citizens,” the report read.
“The urgent provision of resources, availability of cold chain vaccines infrastructure, smooth distribution networks, and citizen education against vaccine hesitancy will prove to be important game changers in the fight against COVID 19 in the country. The Ministry of Health should put in place a framework within its governance structures that shall oversee the acquisition, distribution, and monitoring of the COVID-19 vaccine in Zimbabwe.”
The association further bemoaned the unavailability of resources to enable testing and screening of travellers at all ports of entry into the country.
“ZADHR is disturbed by reports of stranded travellers the country’s different border posts in the country due to documentation related issues including invalid Covid-19 certificates. We call upon the government to devise a centralised, verifying mechanism that proves the authenticity of Covid-19 certificates at ports of entry. They must also be equipped to adequately screen, test, isolate or quarantine travellers depending on their COVID 19 status in line with human rights standard,” the report read.
