In the community

Secret vaccinations help Zimbabwe mothers protect children

Published

2 years ago

September 22, 2022

Admin

BY FARAI MUTSAKA

Dozens of women holding babies rushed to take their places on wooden benches at a clinic in Zimbabwe while a nurse took a separate group of anxious mothers and their children through a back door and into another room.

The nurse quickly closed the door behind them.

The women were all at the Mbare Polyclinic in Zimbabwe’s capital, Harare, to get their children vaccinated against measles amid a deadly outbreak in the southern African country.

But those who were taken to the back room were getting their children vaccinated in secret, and in defiance of religious doctrine that forbids them from using modern medicines.

“The advent of the measles outbreak saw children dying so they are now coming secretly and we are helping them,” said Lewis Foya, a nurse at the clinic.

More than 700 children have died from measles in Zimbabwe in an outbreak first reported in April.

Many were unvaccinated because of religious reasons, Information minister Monica Mutsvangwa said.

The government has announced a vaccination drive but, as with Covid-19, some religious groups are stubbornly opposed to vaccines and have hindered the campaign.

Apostolic groups that infuse traditional beliefs into a Pentecostal doctrine are among the most skeptical of modern medicine in Zimbabwe.

Followers instead put their faith in prayer, holy water and other measures to ward off disease or cure illnesses.

“They have a belief that if they get vaccinated, they become unholy so that’s the doctrine that they pass down to the women,” said Foya.

He said the patriarchy in the church means women have “no power to openly say no” to instructions. Children are then in danger.

There has been little detailed research on Apostolic churches in Zimbabwe but studies by the United Nations children’s agency, Unicef, estimate it is the largest denomination with around 2.5 million followers in a country of 15 million.

Some allow members to seek health care. Many are still resistant.

So to save their children, some mothers visit clinics in secret, sometimes under the cover of night and without their husbands knowing.

A group of Apostolic church members who are open to modern medicine have been trying to change church attitudes, but also advise women to go against church rules if it means helping their children.

“We encourage women to get their children vaccinated, maybe at night,” said Debra Mpofu, a member of the Apostolic Women Empowerment Trust.

“It’s really necessary for the women to protect their children so it’s important for them to just sneak out.”

The secrecy is necessary because members found to have visited health care centres are shamed and forbidden from taking part in church activities.

The World Health Organisation warned in April of an increase in measles in vulnerable countries due to Covid-19 disruptions, with more than 40 countries postponing or suspending their regular immunisation campaigns.

In July, Unicef said about 25 million children worldwide had missed out on routine immunizations against common childhood diseases, calling it a “red alert” for child healt

Globally, WHO and Unicef reported a 79% spike in measles in the first two months of 2022 alone and warned of the potential for large outbreaks.

Children and pregnant women are most at risk of severe disease from measles, which is among the most infectious diseases and easily preventable with a vaccine.

More than 95 percent of measles deaths occur in developing countries.

Zimbabwe’s outbreak was first reported in the eastern Manicaland province following church gatherings and has spread across the country.

The government, with support from Unicef, the WHO and other non-governmental organizations, has embarked on a vaccination campaign targeting millions of children.

At the Mbare clinic, one mother said people had learned from the vaccine hesitancy prevalent during the Covid-19 pandemic.

“A lot of people were misinformed during that Covid-19 period because they were told that when you get vaccinated there will be after-effects,” said the mother, Winnet Musiyarira.

“So due to that a lot of people lost their lives and it was important for everybody to take that serious.

“So when I heard about measles I just said I have to take my kids to hospital and get them vaccinated.”

Musiyarira said she wasn’t a member of a religious group.

Some women wearing matching white headscarves to indicate they are part of an Apostolic church and who were at the Mbare clinic to get their children vaccinated secretly declined to speak to The Associated Press for fear of reprisal from church leaders.

Apostolic groups are notoriously wary of outsiders.

In a bushy area in the impoverished Epworth region outside Harare, Apostolic congregants wearing white robes gathered outdoors recently, as is their tradition, to worship.

Some knelt before self-proclaimed prophets as a man scooped ashes from a fireplace and put them in plastic bag to take home to be used to heal illness.

It is one of many congregations that Mpofu’s Apostolic Women Empowerment Trust has approached.

On this occasion, and after intense negotiations, Mpofu and her team were allowed to address the congregants and distribute vaccination fliers.

The church leader, James Katsande, also agreed to allow his followers to take their children to clinics.

But there was a condition: They should approach the church’s prophets to be blessed before going to a clinic.

“First we need to protect them with the Holy Spirit to cast out any demons and bad luck,” said Katsande, a tall man wearing white robes and a white headscarf with a cross on it.

“We remain the first port of call,” he added. – AP

Binga

Food insecurity hits Matabeleland North province amid El Nino crisis

Published

23 hours ago

July 26, 2024

Admin

BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINI

A devastating food insecurity crisis has gripped Matabeleland North province, with a staggering 520 524 people struggling to access basic nutrition, according to Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube.

The region has borne the brunt of the severe El Nino effects, leaving a significant portion of the population vulnerable.

Minister Ncube revealed these alarming figures while presenting the mid-term budget, which focuses on addressing the far-reaching consequences of El Nino.

To combat this crisis, Ncube said the government has distributed 1 839.2 metric tonnes of grain, for Matabeleland North, which represents only 16% of the required 11 711.8 metric tonnes needed to sustain the population for three months.

The crisis has reportedly affected a staggering 7.7 million people nationwide, including six million in rural areas and 1.7 million in urban areas, who are projected to face food insecurity in 2024.

Minister Ncube outlined a two-pronged response strategy to address the grain shortage.

“Government (will be) importing 300 000 metric tonnes of grain for distribution to vulnerable members of society, while expecting the private sector to import at least 464 000 metric tonnes of grain for sale through normal market channels.”

Nationally, the grain importation plan for 2024 aims to address the shortfall of 765 000 metric tonnes.

The government, according to Ncube, has already imported 10,187 metric tonnes of grain, now stored in Grain Marketing Board (GMB) silos.

Furthermore, ZWL60.9 million has been allocated for grain distribution to 10 provinces, resulting in the distribution of 32 241.2 metric tonnes of grain to food-insecure households as of June 15.

Minister Ncube emphasized that the government’s efforts are being complemented by insurance risk premiums from the Africa Risk Capacity, estimated at US$31.8 million, and combined payouts from the government and development partners.

These funds will be distributed through cash transfers to the most affected districts.

Development partners such as the are also supporting food mitigation efforts in response to the declaration of a National State of Disaster.

In the community

Lupane’s dark classrooms: MP seeks answers on electrification and poor academic performance

Published

1 day ago

July 26, 2024

Admin

BY STAFF REPORTER

34 out of 141 schools in Lupane are electrified

A Lupane Member of Parliament, Mail Nkomo, recently expressed concern in the National Assembly about the zero-pass rate in Lupane and sought solutions to address this issue.

She directed her concerns to the Minister of Energy and Power Development, asking when the ministry would electrify schools in Lupane to address the zero-pass rate.

In response, Minister Edgar Moyo stated that only 34 schools in the district are powered. “Lupane has a total of 141 schools, comprising 114 primary and 37 secondary schools,” he responded.

“Of these, 34 schools, including administration blocks and school cottages, are completely electrified.” Minister Moyo added that his ministry is constructing power lines outside Lupane Centre to cater to more schools.

“Somgolo and Makhekhe schools were recently completed, and other schools have had solar systems installed through the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) and development partners collaborating with the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education.”

Nkomo further probed the minister on the government’s policy regarding rural electrification and power sustainability in rural areas, as well as plans for maintaining power lines in public places.

Minister Moyo elaborated, “The Ministry, through the REA, collects 6% of all electricity sales made by ZETDC and other retailers. The Rural Electrification Fund (REF) is used to provide access to a reliable electric power supply for rural dwellers, regardless of their location or occupation, in a way that allows for a reasonable return on investment through an appropriate tariff that is economically responsive and supportive of rural areas. The REF hands over the network to ZETDC for operation and maintenance to ensure efficient grid expansion and total access strategy.”

Matabeleland North province has had the worst Grade 7 pass rate in recent years. For instance, in the 2021 Grade 7 results, 51 schools failed to achieve a single pass, according to government data. The previous year, 85 schools recorded a zero percent pass rate. Since then, the ministry has refused to release provincial results to the media, citing concerns about causing divisions.

Hwange

Victoria Falls cleans up ahead of UN tourism forum

Published

2 days ago

July 25, 2024

Admin

BY BAYANDA NKATHA

Various stakeholders in Victoria Falls took to the streets on Thursday morning to clean up the city’s environs in preparation for the United Nations Tourism (UN Tourism) Regional Forum on Gastronomy for Africa, which starts on Friday.

The forum will be officially opened by President Mnangagwa at the Elephant Hills Resort Golf Course.

The clean-up initiative was mobilized by the Victoria Falls City Council in partnership with the Environmental Management Agency, and involved participation from tourism operators such as Shearwater, Elephant Hills, Rainbow, and Azambezi, as well as government departments like Immigration, Zimra, and the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority.

The Pristine Victoria Falls Society, Greenline Africa, and scores of young people under the banner of Youth in Tourism also joined in.

The clean-up effort aimed to present Victoria Falls as a pristine tourism destination, with young people picking up litter from the town to the airport, while other stakeholders cleaned around the city.

Delegates have already started arriving for the event, which is expected to attract 10,000 people on its official opening day.

The forum focuses on gastronomy tourism, which involves product diversification and the use of traditional foods and indigenous knowledge systems as a tourism attraction.

This is a priority for the Africa agenda, as prepared by member states for brand Africa. Zimbabwe was chosen to host the forum in recognition of First Lady Auxilia Mnangagwa’s efforts to promote gastronomy tourism from the grassroots.