In a move designed to cater for the welfare of its employees, The Zimbabwe Revenue Authority(ZIMRA) launched the Vaccination Awareness Campaign programme which is being rolled out by government as the country anticipates a third wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic. The event took place on 14 April 2021 at Rainbow Towers hotel in Harare, under strict COVID-19 regulations.
While officially launching the programme, the ZIMRA Vice Board Chairperson, Mrs Josephine Matambo applauded ZIMRA officers for their dedication and resilience which resulted in the Authority surpassing all revenue targets despite the challenging situation. She commended staff members working at the border posts which are hotspots for the virus.
“The board will continue looking into the welfare of employees and making sure that they are well remunerated. There has been a lot of fear surrounding vaccination and this launch will help in demystifying the lies being spread around”. “It’s time to adjust to the new normal and move on” said Mrs Matambo.
In his remarks at the same occasion, the Acting Commissioner General commended the work being done by ZIMRA officers as part of frontline workers. However, he lamented that the uptake of the Vaccine by ZIMRA employees was very low with statistics showing that only 248 employees had been vaccinated within the Authority. He further indicated that notwithstanding his religious orientation, he had been vaccinated and took time to encourage others to do so in the fight against COVID-19.
He added, “Medical experts who have been fighting the pandemic from the front have been called to demystify vaccines and vaccination, help enhance our understanding of the science and merits of vaccination and the need for a change in attitude towards vaccination”.
In attendance of the launch was Dr Soman Mudariki, a professional medical doctor from City of Harare Emergency Services who was instrumental in the Authority’s Covid Awareness Programme. Speaking during the event Dr. Mudariki underscored the importance of vaccination.
“It is very important for ZIMRA officers to seriously consider vaccination since they face the virus in an environment that is not controlled and thus are at more risk than medical practitioners who are in a more controlled environment. We cannot close our borders, otherwise where will we get the money to fund our hospitals or our own researches, ” said Dr Mudariki.
Dr Mudariki is among Zimbabwe's frontline medical workers who are risking their lives to care for others and educate people on the virus and vaccination.
Workers representatives who were in attendance took time to ask questions and know more about vaccines so that they can help others in understanding the need to join the fight against Covid-19. The event ended with many in attendance being ferried to Wilkins hospital for their first jabs of the COVID-19 vaccine. The Vaccination Awareness exercise is expected to be rolled out to all ZIMRA regions so that employees get all the information they need before getting vaccinated. Members of the medical fraternity, ZIMRA managers and other workers were also in attendance at the occasion.