New cholera cases fall in Manicaland as Vapositori embrace vaccination
As villagers in the cholera hotspots of Manicaland accept the cholera vaccine, including members of apostolic sects, the number of new cases has dramatically fallen from around 60 a day to a combined 15 in the last two days of last week.
Most members of some apostolic sects previously declined to take modern medication, preferring prayers from their leaders, a stance that saw some lose their children to measles and Covid-19, as they refused to have them vaccinated.
That resulted in health workers deepening engagements with them to reconsider their doctrine, resulting in the high uptake of the cholera vaccine.
The oral cholera vaccination programme started on January 29 and as of February 16, 1 998 451 people out of a target of 2 306 955 in the cholera hotspots had received the oral vaccine.
Mr Lovejoy Mudzingwa, an environmental health practitioner at Zvipiripiri Rural Health Centre in Marange District, said out of the 401 cholera cases reported at the facility, approximately 170 came from the apostolic sects.
But a combination of the fear of death and a widespread public health campaign, had prompted members of apostolic sects in Manicaland to overcome their traditional reluctance to seek medical care.
“For now we can say we are winning because the decline shows that we are winning and they are actually coming here themselves. We had a meeting with the high priest of the Johane Marange Apostolic Church, and he did not object to the treatment of cholera cases. He did ask that those who come seeking medical help should be assisted,” said Mr Mudzingwa.
At the height of the cholera outbreak in December last year, there were over 30 cholera patients at Zvipiripiri Rural Health Centre, but as of last Saturday, there was only one patient who was admitted but had fully recovered and was ready to be discharged.
The Herald visited some of the families affected by the cholera outbreak to hear their views on the vaccination programme.
“No one in our church has been punished for seeking medical help,” said Mr Phillip Chiramba (56) from Torera Village who is a member of the Johane Marange Apostolic Church.
At one point, Mr Chiramba had 11 family members hospitalised at Zvipiripiri Rural Health Centre due to cholera.
He acknowledged that his church prohibits the use of modern medicines, but clarified that seeking medical help remains a personal choice.
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