HH urges Zambians to get jabbed

PRESIDENT Hakainde Hichilema has re-launched the COVID-19 national vaccination programme with a call on Zambians to get vaccinated in large numbers.

Speaking when he relaunched the programme in Lusaka yesterday, President Hichilema urged citizens to take the fight against the Coronavirus seriously, stressing that getting vaccinated against the disease is a matter of life and death.

The head of State who himself has been previously vaccinated emphasized that the vaccine works as proven by science, contrary to myths.

President Hichilema says government intends to have at least 70% of the population vaccinated to bring the pandemic under control.

He has since challenged the ministry of health to scale up the Covid-19 vaccination outreach in public places.

Speaking earlier, Minister of Health Sylvia Masebo disclosed that Zambia has received 1.6 million Covid-19 vaccines from the United States government which include Pfizer,Johnson and Johnson,Moderna and AstraZeneca.

Ms Masebo says her ministry has put in place all the necessary steps to ensure the country is ready for the anticipated fourth wave of the pandemic.

She has since urged the church,private sector, and fovernment ministries to ensourage their members to get vaccinated.

And UN Resident coordinator,Coumba Mar Gadio says the UN system will continue to support the government’s vaccination rollout.

During the relaunch of the programme, Minister of health Sylvia Masebo, Commerce Minister Chipoka Mulenga,Mines Minister Paul Kabuswe and Copperbelt province Minister Elisha Matambo got vaccinated.