Joel Tsvakwi
LACK of access to authentic sources of information on Covid-19 has been described as one of the challenges breeding false information among the San community in Zimbabwe’s Tsholotsho district, The Zambezi Times has learnt.
In an interview, Davy Ndlovu of the Tsoro-o-Tso San Development Trust said lack of access to correct and adequate information on the pandemic is worrisome.
According to Ndlovu, if left unchecked this can derail all the progress gained so far in trying to combat this deadly virus in marginalised communities.
“As Tsoro-o -Development Trust we move around communities asking them the sources of information and where do they get the information and we had since established a Covid-19 Information Resource Centre in Tsholotsho,” Ndlovu said.
He said in complimenting these efforts there are some other players to empower the community with correct information.
“There is this organisation called Zimbabwe Humanitarian Livelihood Development Trust (ZHLDT),it used to teach people every now and then but of late they are no longer visible maybe their programme has come to an end.
“As TDT we work with Ministry of Health and Childcare so to educate people. It’s disturbing to note that people are misinformed to think about the vaccine as meant to wipe away Africans because white people don’t like us,” added Ndlovu.
In dealing away with this spreading of wrong information resulting in negative perceptions on Covid-19 vaccines, Ndlovu believes government has to extensively make campaigns to inform the people.
“Government need to educate people to understand what is a vaccine how it works and the efficacy of such vaccines and this should be done before any rollout of the vaccination programmes.
“There are disturbing and unfounded rumours in the villages that makes people fear vaccines, some say those who have received the jabs have since died while others are said to have developed breasts.”
Ndlovu further said for worse the marginalised San community in Tsholotsho there is no known Covid-19 related illness or death they have heard of thus far.
“We have not heard any information of any Covid-19 related illness or death among the san people from Tsholotsho, the only challenge is that they stay away from clinics, and we are not sure maybe others might have been affected since the symptoms are flue like maybe they might have used homemade remedies and gets healed before coming to clinics,” he said.
Ndlovu said the other challenge was the poor communication infrastructure as the whole of the district has only five mobile telephone boosters.
“We did conduct a research in that how do people get information, we found out that the few who have radio, only have access to studio 7, while the majority of people do not have smart phones which can be used to access social media,” he said.
