Women in Zimbabwe Protect Children with Secret Vaccinations

Women in Zimbabwe Protect Children with Secret Vaccinations²

At a health center in Zimbabwe, a large group of women holding babies hurried to take their places on wooden seats. Separately, a health worker took a different group of worried mothers and their children through a back door and into another room, quickly closing the door behind them.

The women were all at the Mbare Polyclinic in Zimbabwe's capital, Harare. They came to have their children vaccinated³ against measles⁴ during a deadly outbreak in the southern African country. But the women in the back room were getting their children vaccinated in secret because their religion bans them from using modern medicines.

Healthcare worker Lewis Foya said, "the measles outbreak saw children dying so they are now coming secretly and we are helping⁵ them."

More than 700 children have died from measles in Zimbabwe in an outbreak that began in April. Information Minister Monica Mutsvangwa said many were unvaccinated because of religious reasons.

The government has announced a vaccination¹ drive but, as with COVID-19, some religious groups are strongly opposed to vaccines⁷ and have worked against the campaign.

Apostolic churches are among those that opposed modern medicine in Zimbabwe. Followers⁸ believe in prayer, holy water and other measures to treat disease or cure illnesses. Foya said the male leadership of the church means women have "no power to openly say no" to instructions. Children are then in danger.

The United Nations children's agency, UNICEF, estimates that Apostolic churches have around 2.5 million followers in a country of 15 million. Some permit members to seek health care. Many still resist it.

A group of Apostolic church members who are open to modern medicine has been trying to bring change. They advise women to go against church rules if it means helping their children. Debra Mpofu is a member of the Apostolic Women Empowerment Trust. She said, "We encourage women to get their children vaccinated, maybe at night. It's really necessary for the women to protect their children."

At the Mbare health center, one mother said people had learned from the misunderstanding about vaccines during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The mother, Winnet Musiyarira, said, "A lot of people were misinformed during that COVID-19 period... a lot of people lost their lives. So when I heard about measles I just said I have to take my kids to hospital and get them vaccinated."

Mpofu of the Apostolic trust said some church groups would permit them to talk with their members and share information on vaccination. One church leader, James Katsande, also agreed to let his followers take their children to seek medical care. But there was a condition: They should come to the church's leaders for blessings¹⁰ before going to a health center.

Worldwide, the World Health Organization and UNICEF reported a 79 percent increase in measles in the first two months of 2022. The organizations warned that large outbreaks were possible. They said children and pregnant women are most at risk of severe disease from measles. But a vaccine⁶ prevents it easily.

Words in This Story

Apostolic – adj. belonging or relating to the early followers of Christ and to their teaching

church – n. religious center

encourage – v. to give someone the courage or confidence (to do something)

kids – n. (informal) children

blessing⁹ – n. a prayer asking God to look kindly¹¹ upon the people who are present or the event that is taking place.

1 vaccination   

n.接种疫苗，种痘

参考例句：

• Vaccination is a preventive against smallpox.种痘是预防天花的方法。
• Doctors suggest getting a tetanus vaccination every ten years.医生建议每十年注射一次破伤风疫苗。

2 vaccinations   

n.种痘，接种( vaccination的名词复数 )；牛痘疤

参考例句：

• Vaccinations ensure one against diseases. 接种疫苗可以预防疾病。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• I read some publicity about vaccinations while waiting my turn at the doctor's. 在医生那儿候诊时，我读了一些关于接种疫苗的宣传。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 vaccinated   

[医]已接种的，种痘的，接种过疫菌的

参考例句：

• I was vaccinated against tetanus. 我接种了破伤风疫苗。
• Were you vaccinated against smallpox as a child? 你小时候打过天花疫苗吗？

4 measles   

n.麻疹，风疹，包虫病，痧子

参考例句：

• The doctor is quite definite about Tom having measles.医生十分肯定汤姆得了麻疹。
• The doctor told her to watch out for symptoms of measles.医生叫她注意麻疹出现的症状。

5 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

6 vaccine   

n.牛痘苗，疫苗；adj.牛痘的，疫苗的

参考例句：

• The polio vaccine has saved millions of lives.脊髓灰质炎疫苗挽救了数以百万计的生命。
• She takes a vaccine against influenza every fall.她每年秋季接种流感疫苗。

7 vaccines   

疫苗，痘苗( vaccine的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His team are at the forefront of scientific research into vaccines. 他的小组处于疫苗科研的最前沿。
• The vaccines were kept cool in refrigerators. 疫苗放在冰箱中冷藏。

8 followers   

追随者( follower的名词复数 )； 用户； 契据的附面； 从动件

参考例句：

• the followers of Mahatma Gandhi 圣雄甘地的拥护者
• The reformer soon gathered a band of followers round him. 改革者很快就获得一群追随者支持他。

9 blessing   

n.祈神赐福；祷告；祝福，祝愿

参考例句：

• The blessing was said in Hebrew.祷告用了希伯来语。
• A double blessing has descended upon the house.双喜临门。

10 blessings   

n.（上帝的）祝福( blessing的名词复数 )；好事；福分；因祸得福

参考例句：

• Afflictions are sometimes blessings in disguise. 塞翁失马，焉知非福。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• We don't rely on blessings from Heaven. 我们不靠老天保佑。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

11 kindly   

adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地

参考例句：

• Her neighbours spoke of her as kindly and hospitable.她的邻居都说她和蔼可亲、热情好客。
• A shadow passed over the kindly face of the old woman.一道阴影掠过老太太慈祥的面孔。