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Paidamoyo Chipunza Senior Health Officer
Approximately 325,000 people aged between six months and 45 years of nine selected high density and typhoid suburbs in Harare will begin Monday to receive typhoid vaccination, making Zimbabwe the first country in Africa to vaccinate typhoid, health and child care minister Obadiah Moyo said.
Dr Moyo, addressing reporters at a press conference held yesterday in Harare, said that this vaccination was testifying that typhoid was endemic in some parts of Harare, with seasonal peaks between October and March each year from 2010.
Dr. Moyo said the nine hurricane hot spots that are targeted are Mufakose, Budiriro, Glen View, Glen Norah, Kuwadzana, Mbare, Hatcliffe, Hopley and Dzivarasekwa.
He told Mbare that vaccination would cover residents aged between six months and 48 years, while the remaining vaccinations in other suburbs would cover children between six months and 15 years of age.
"We have hit the Zimbabwe for the first time in this massive typhoid vaccination campaign to be held in nine high density suburbs from next week to March 4, 2019," said Dr. Moyo.
He said this campaign followed the successful vaccination campaign against cholesterol last year, in which about 1.3 million people were vaccinated against cholera.
Dr. Moyo said the typhoid coupling vaccine is expected to reduce the endemic typhoid cases in the affected areas.
He said the data showed that cases of drug-resistant typhoid are increasing and the vaccine is also expected to face this challenge.
"In this context, this intervention is necessary to avoid the continuing loss of life and disease, and we continue to work with the local authority to provide safe and adequate water as well as for general sewerage in these affected areas," he said. Dr. Moyo.
He said that the data showed that in areas like Mbare typhoid affected all age groups, hence the need for vaccination of both children and adults, while in other suburbs mainly affect children aged 6 months to 15 years.
Typhoid and cholera are potentially fatal diseases due to water.
"The typhoid vaccine, which protects against typhoid fever, will be injected into the thigh for children under five and in hand for people over five years of age.
"The vaccine will be given to local clinics, extracurricular centers, schools, churches, bus terminals and markets," said Dr. Moyo.
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