Private sector covid 19 vaccines procurement advanced
Staff Writer
CIMAS Medical Aid Society, which plays a role of health advisor and programme manager to the private sector COVID-19 vaccination programme says the move has reached advanced stage, hence members should confirm their orders.
In a member bulletin the Society’s Chief Executive Officer Vulindlela Ndlovu advised members to confirm payments.
“The initiative to procure vaccines has now reached an advanced stage. We now require you to confirm your order so that Cimas can place the order” Ndlovu said.
The Cimas private sector initiative to procure COVID-19 vaccine is led by Business Member Organisations that include the Bankers Association of Zimbabwe (BAZ), Chamber of Mines of Zimbabwe (CMZ), Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries (CZI), Insurance Council of Zimbabwe (ICZ), Zimbabwe Council for Tourism (ZCT) and the Zimbabwe National Chambers of Commerce (ZNCC) and Cimas plays a role of health advisor and programme manager to the private sector COVID-19 vaccination programme.
Ndlovu said that the actual vaccines to be procured are yet to be confirmed, however, for planning purposes, Cimas has indicated the possibilities based on on-going discussions with the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development – the procuring authority.
Furthermore, the Society highlighted its intention to procure and administer vaccines to employees and other targeted beneficiaries of the BMOs, and all Cimas Medical Aid Society members.
The procurement of vaccines by the private sector will help the country reach herd immunity faster as the recently donated Sinopharm vaccines from China were not enough to cover half of the Zimbabwean population, thus the Cimas CEO concluded with a plead to its members to assist with donations
“We are asking you to consider donating vaccines to the government to assist in ensuring that the country reaches “herd immunity” sooner than later,” he said.
