In March 2022, ZHI under the ACCE mechanism was awarded the American Rescue Plan Act of 21 (ARPA) grant. This grant was implemented in the 8 districts in Midlands province from April 2022 to date, with a number success stories in increasing vaccination demand and access of the COVID-19 vaccines. The grant was to complement GOZ’s efforts towards controlling the COVID-19 pandemic through scale up of COVID 19 vaccinations building on the ongoing ACCE program in the Midlands province.

ZHI/ACCE COVID 19 program engaged community outreach workers, community nurses, community primary care counsellors and community referral facilitators to generate demand in their clusters. These cadres were empowered to identify sources and causes of vaccine hesitancy, myths and misconceptions and to create demand at community level. There was also utilization of mass media such as radio programs in dissemination of COVID 19 messages.

District Health Executive members continued to oversee the program as the custodians and management of the health system with the support of the Provincial Health Executive.