589 days of the COVID-19 Lockdown, and as of 7th of November 2021, the Ministry of Health and Child Care reported that, the cumulative number of COVID-19 cases had increased to 133 187 after 19 new cases all local cases, were recorded. The highest case tally was recorded in Masvingo with 3 cases. We note that the Hospitalisation rate as at 15:00hrs on 6 November 2021 stood at 25 hospitalised cases: 3 New Admissions, 7 Asymptomatic cases, 10 mild-to-moderate cases, 4 severe cases and 4 cases in Intensive Care Units. A total of 8 088 people received their 1st doses of vaccine. The cumulative number of the 1st dose vaccinated now stands at 3 371 867. A total of 6 348 recipients received their second dose bringing the cumulative number of 2nd dose recipients to 2 648 740. Active cases went down to 452. The total number of recoveries went up to 128 050 increasing by 24 recoveries. The recovery rate remains at 96%. The death toll remains at 4 685, as there was no new death recorded. We note that this is the second consecutive day with no recorded COVID-19 deaths.
Critical Emerging Issue
Increased Access to Vaccination Programme for Rural Communities
We continue to amplify calls for direct and deliberate expansion of the vaccine programme to rural and hard to reach communities. We note that whilst efforts to ensure that rural health care centres have indeed been supported under the vaccine rollout, progress has been simply too slow to make significant impact. We note that this has been exacerbated by the fact that efforts to target rural socio-economic centres and hubs under the vaccine rollout have largely been weak, as raised in detail in prior reports. Furthermore, we highlight the long distances to healthcare centres which is reported by communities as a major hindrance to accessing the vaccines. We accordingly urge government to speedily address such gaps in the rural vaccination programme.
- We amplify our calls for vaccine equity within Zimbabwe.
- We call for prioritisation of rural, peri-urban and hard to reach communities for vaccine accessibility.
- We reiterate our recommendation for the rolling out of mobile vaccine centres to provide direct support to communities.
Outstanding issues
Non- Availability of New Vaccination Cards/Passports
We note with growing concern the lack of new vaccination cards at vaccine centres. Our networks continue to note that seeking for replacement of old cards or finding a centre issuing new electronic and tamper proof vaccine cards three months post launch is still very difficult. This is despite further the instructions that vaccinated persons should approach their vaccination centres to secure replacement cards.
We note that the new cards are electronically enabled and can be verified anywhere in the world, with enhanced security features. This is a commendable shift from the handwritten cards currently being provided to vaccinated persons.
- We call for publication of a list indicating where new vaccination cards are being issued to those persons who may require them, as freedom of movement is increasingly being restored globally.
- We call for Government to clarify if all vaccinated persons are eligible for the new cards or those who may need to travel.
- We call for replacement of cards to remain at no costs to the vaccinated persons.
- We call for the complete replacement off all handwritten cards to eradicate the vice of fake cards.
Source: Women’s Coalition of Zimbabwe
