Published by the government of Zimbabwe
4 August 2008
Harare — GOVERNMENT has received 31 vehicles for use in the Expanded Immunisation Programme, which begins today under the Child Health Days.
Twenty-nine Nissan 4x4 vehicles were procured by the World Health Organisation through an application made by the Government to the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation in 2005, while the other two Toyota Land Cruisers were donated by WHO.
Each province will receive three vehicles with the exception of Matabeleland North and South, which will receive a Toyota Land Cruiser each, in addition to three Nissan 4x4s to replace the previously donated aged fleet.
Speaking at the official handover of the vehicles to provincial representatives at WHO headquarters in Harare, acting WHO representative, Dr Batsirai Makunike said there had been a decline in routine immunisation coverage from 85 percent in 2006 to 70 percent in 2007.
She, however, said disease surveillance remained important for immunisation programmes, hence the procurement of the vehicles to assist the Government reach out to children who had missed immunisation opportunities.
"These EPI vehicles will go a long way in supporting routine EPI and surveillance activities such as outreach work, active search for disease outbreaks and supportive supervision," Dr Makunike said.
She said other Government initiatives already in place to support EPI included The Reaching Every District Approach and the Child Health Days.
"These strategies are meant to contribute towards achieving the fourth Millennium Development Goal despite the current challenges," she said.
The Minister of Health and Child Welfare, Dr David Parirenyatwa, applauded the GAVI alliance for approving Zimbabwe's application, which made it possible for procurement of the vehicles. He urged districts allocated the vehicles to put them to good use.
"The vehicles will be used for purposes of improving EPI coverage and thereby preventing children from being maimed or killed by vaccine-preventable diseases," Dr Parirenyatwa said.
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