COVID-19 Vaccination card activation now available in council clinics
BULAWAYO residents will now be able to access Covid-19 vaccination card activation from all council run clinics and central hospitals as the Government moves to ensure that citizens access internationally recognized cards.
Initially the service was only available at the Provincial Medical Director’s office at Mhlahlandela Government complex when Government decentralized the service in March.
This comes at a time when a number of countries have scrapped Covid-19 test requirements for entry and exit saying only valid Covid-19 vaccination cards will suffice.
In a statement, Bulawayo Town Clerk Christopher Dube said all public health institutions will be offering the service effective May 6.
“The Ministry of Health and Child Care as part of the Covid-19 vaccination roll out effort created a secure card which provided for electronic authentication of the vaccination record. The latest Covid-19 vaccination cards are issued with pre – printed QR cords that require activation and this service in now available in all council clinics and out public hospitals, ” said Dube.
Ecstatic residents said the move will save them time which was wasted trying to access the service from one institution.
“Now that we will be able to activate our vaccination cards from clinics, more people will activate their cards as we desperately need to travel to South Africa and Botswana for business. We also appreciate efforts to decentralise the services and as residents we need more of these in our clinics and suburbs so that we stop wasting money travelling to Harare, ” said Alice Nyoni a resident from Bulawayo.
Council Senior Health Promotions Focal Person Sitshengisiwe Siziba urged residents to approach the facilities to activate their cards.
“We continue working hard to ensure our residents have access to these crucial services. As we continue calling for residents to be vaccinated against Covid-19, we need them to have the new cards. Activation will help them prove that they have vaccination and these cards will also be required in case they decide to travel hence the need for them to approach our clinics and health institutions to activate the cards, ” added Siziba.