News / National
Zimbabwe borders to open soon, says Mthuli Ncube
21 Mar 2021 at 08:28hrs | Views
ZIMBABWE will next week receive another consignment of Covid-19 vaccine procured by Government from China to bolster the country's inoculation efforts to achieve the herd immunity, Minister of Finance and Economic Development Professor Mthuli Ncube has said.
Speaking during a tour of Plumtree Border Post yesterday, Prof Ncube said the country was expecting more doses of the vaccine from China next week to bring the total received vaccines to one million.
The country has already received more than 600 000 doses of SinoPharm vaccines and has now entered the second phase of the inoculation. To date close to 36 000 frontline workers have been inoculated.
"We are importing more vaccines next week which will bring the total to one million doses. It's important that we get vaccinated. I have been vaccinated and I urge people to do the same.
"The immigration department and the Zimra employees should get the vaccine because it is important to do so considering the nature of their job," he said.
Prof Ncube said the Government was working on reopening the borders for both vehicular and human traffic.
He said the Government was concerned with the increasing cases of smuggling using illegal entry points.
"We are informed that when you tighten screws here, people cross into Botswana using other illegal entry points. As Government we are concerned and we are going to equip you.
"We have authorised the purchasing of drones to reduce smuggling and illegal migration. Very soon we are going to open up borders for passenger traffic and we expect the borders to be having a lot of pressure and we will see how best we give you support," he said.
Speaking during a tour of Plumtree Border Post yesterday, Prof Ncube said the country was expecting more doses of the vaccine from China next week to bring the total received vaccines to one million.
The country has already received more than 600 000 doses of SinoPharm vaccines and has now entered the second phase of the inoculation. To date close to 36 000 frontline workers have been inoculated.
"We are importing more vaccines next week which will bring the total to one million doses. It's important that we get vaccinated. I have been vaccinated and I urge people to do the same.
"The immigration department and the Zimra employees should get the vaccine because it is important to do so considering the nature of their job," he said.
Prof Ncube said the Government was working on reopening the borders for both vehicular and human traffic.
He said the Government was concerned with the increasing cases of smuggling using illegal entry points.
"We are informed that when you tighten screws here, people cross into Botswana using other illegal entry points. As Government we are concerned and we are going to equip you.
"We have authorised the purchasing of drones to reduce smuggling and illegal migration. Very soon we are going to open up borders for passenger traffic and we expect the borders to be having a lot of pressure and we will see how best we give you support," he said.
Source - sundaynews
