Govt must be open with COVID-19 vaccine

COMMUNITY members from Zaka, Muzarabani, Buhera and Gokwe have challenged government and other stakeholders to provide adequate information on the COVID-19 vaccine using readily available mediums such as radio. This came out during a virtual dialogue organised by communities working with Heal Zimbabwe on February 1, 2021.

The dialogue meeting is part of efforts meant to scale up community resilience and share local level strategies that can help communities fight COVID-19.

Community members highlighted that there has been little or no information on the effectiveness of the vaccine and this has given rise to misinformation especially on social media platforms such as WhatsApp.

Participants also highlighted that some religious sects in the area were advising their members against taking the vaccine.

However, some community members expressed optimism over the effectiveness of the vaccine but noted that there was need for stakeholders to communicate effectively and transparently regarding the full benefits and risks of the vaccination.

Participants also underscored the need for health personnel to be trained so that they give relevant and comprehensive information in a respectable and culturally sensitive manner to communities.

Such a process will however, require buy-in from religious, political and other community leaders who will be utilised to spread accurate information to their followers.

The virtual dialogues organised by Heal Zimbabwe are an initiative meant to create platforms for communities to discuss and collectively identify ways through which they can proffer solutions to problems in their communities.

The virtual platforms also equip communities with relevant information on COVID-19, genderbased violence and human rights.

Virtual platforms facilitate local level conversations on pertinent issues affecting communities as well as create socially cohesive communities.

Heal Zimbabwe