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By Elvis Dumba
Harare – An increase in the number of children succumbing to a measles outbreak, especially in the Eastern part of the country, has seen increased rapid response initiatives by various partners increased.
Unicef has jumped on board by supporting the Ministry of Health and Child Care’s deployment of rapid response teams in communities where they are raising awareness on measles vaccines.
The community teams are helping to address community resistance to immunization in some parts of communities, especially those with apostolic sect backgrounds.
Unicef’s Zimbabwe Country Representative Tajudeen Oyewale said they are satisfied with current ongoing initiatives and insisted his organization is always ready to assist in ensuring that children’s health is protected.
“We are satisfied with various initiatives being carried out in attending to the measles outbreak. Just like during the Covid-19 outbreak, Unicef has partnered with various organizations through the Ministry of Health and Child Care to ensure rapid response teams have been deployed,” he said.
Oyewale said the deployed teams are able to address some of the community resistance to measles vaccination.
“The community teams who are raising awareness on vaccinations are also helping to address community resistance in some areas. As UNICEF, we are ready to ensure that our children are protected from such and other outbreaks,” he said.
In Banket, community health workers are going door to door in examining children under five years and encouraging parents to take their children for vaccination.
The current outbreak that started in Manicaland threatens to reverse the strides which had been made by the government and its partners in containing the measles outbreak.