Mukudzei Chingwere — The Government is grateful to Egypt and Africa Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) for equipping the local health system with cholera response supplies and cold chain paraphernalia, which comes as a timely boost to the country's efforts to reach every child and eligible adults with lifesaving vaccines.
This was said by the Minister of Health and Child Care, Dr Douglas Mombeshora, in his acceptance speech for immunisation cold chain equipment, cholera vaccines and medical supplies from Egypt and Africa CDC in Harare on Monday.
Dr Mombeshora said the cold chain support is in line with Government's vision and aspirations for universal health coverage in the spirit of leaving no one and no place behind, as enunciated by President Mnangagwa.
"From the Government of Egypt we are receiving with gratitude vaccines and medical supplies to augment the Zimbabwean Government's response to the ongoing cholera outbreak," said Dr Mombeshora.
"These supplies are critical in our ongoing battle against Cholera in the country and represent a great show of solidarity between the people of Egypt and the people of Zimbabwe.
"The joint donation of life-saving equipment represents a significant step forward in our national healthcare journey. As you know, proper cold chain infrastructure and equipment is the cornerstone of effective vaccination programmes.
"It ensures that vaccines our most powerful weapons against preventable diseases retain their potency and reach every corner of our nation in good quality," said Dr Mombeshora.
He said the cold chain equipment is expected to boost Zimbabwe's continuous drive to increase the quality and capacity of the cold chain for vaccines under the Zimbabwe Essential Programme on Immunisation (ZEPI).
Dr Mombeshora said his ministry's Programme on Immunisation (EPI) is there to prevent illness and deaths among people-and especially children from vaccine preventable diseases across the country.
"In this regard the arrival of this equipment is a timely boost to Zimbabwe's continued efforts to reach every child and eligible adults with potent lifesaving vaccines.
"I will also be quick to inform all stakeholders here that Government has an ongoing plan to continue to increase cold chain capacity to accommodate new vaccines that have been and will continue to be introduced from time to time for emerging public health threats.
"As Government, we are therefore grateful to this timely investment in cold chain capacity that is in line with government's vision and aspirations for universal health coverage in the spirit of leaving no one and no place behind," said Minister Mombeshora.
Egypt's Ambassador to Zimbabwe Ambassador Salwa Mowafi said the joint donation is a show of solidarity with Zimbabwe.
The Ambassador reminisced on the strong bilateral relations that exists between the two countries, pre and post-independence Zimbabwe.
Before independence Zimbabweans received support to fight the war of liberation including the training of some fighters including President Mnangagwa, who received military training in Egypt, and now the relationship has evolved to economic diplomacy.
"Our deep historical relations are remarkable, could be easily witnessed clearly in the warm friendship that do exist between our two leaders, President El-Sisi of Egypt and President Mnangagwa," said Ambassador Mowafi.
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"Egypt cannot leave its sister Zimbabwe suffering from Cholera and stand still. Egypt will continue to enhance and elevate the existing levels of cooperation with Zimbabwe in all fields.
"Egyptian medicine is one of the best in the world. It is effective, cheap and widely applied on millions for decades. It is the best fit for Africans and now you can find in many Government hospitals in Zimbabwe.
"I am grateful to the Government of Zimbabwe for facilitating the donation consignments, and to our partner Africa CDC who contributed to deliver this Egyptian donation to Zimbabwe," said Ambassador Mowafi.
She said Minister Mombeshora was in Egypt recently where he met his counterpart, and their interactions, said Ambassador, are really of great importance and Egypt is ready to fulfil all requested training and educational needs of Zimbabwe in the field of health.
