HARARE – Zimbabwe vaccinated 35,000 people in the three weeks from February 16 when it first deployed the 200,000 Sinopharm jabs donated by the Chinese government – and doctors are calling on the government to pick up the pace of vaccination.

When Vice President and health minister Constantino Chiwenga launched the vaccination programme, the government said it planned to inoculate around 60,000 healthcare and other frontline workers in the first round of vaccinations. The elderly and those with chronic conditions would follow.

The Zimbabwe Association of Doctors for Human Rights (ZADHR) on Wednesday expressed concern at the slow pace of the vaccination programme.

“There were 243 new vaccinations reported on Tuesday. Some 35,000 people have been vaccinated in three weeks. That’s an average of 24 people being vaccinated per day in each province,” said Norman Matara of the ZADHR.

“The uptake is extremely low and worrying. Rwanda just vaccinated 200,000 people in four days. Where are we getting it wrong?”

Matara said they were concerned that the government had not used a quarter of the vaccines received from China three weeks down the line.

He added: “Vaccines are meant to be given to those who have not yet acquired the disease. That we had fewer cases compared to other countries should be a reason for vaccination, not against.

“With limited access to vaccine supply, it would be unwise to give the vaccines to low-risk individuals and not vaccinate those at more risk.

“We still need to devise ways to increase uptake amongst the vulnerable.”

According to a study conducted by the Zimbabwe College of Public Health Physicians (ZCPHP), 49 percent of the country’s population remains unsure if the government can provide safe vaccines.

“Trust and lack of information are the major factors militating against the vaccine programme. Negative myths and misconceptions haven’t helped,” Matara added.

Zimbabwe’s vaccination programme, which is free of charge, is targeting at least 10 million people, roughly 60 percent of the population.

The government says it shortly expects more vaccines to be delivered from China, as well as the COVAX scheme, a global initiative aimed at equitable access to Covid-19 vaccines.

Zimbabwe on Wednesday reported 30 new infections and no deaths from Covid-19. To date, the country has declared 36,341 Covid-19 cases and more than 1,489 deaths.