Nurses demand US$ to immunise babies

CHITUNGWIZA council nurses have been accused of demanding payment from mothers for immunisation of their infants.

According to parents who spoke to the Daily News yesterday, they were being asked to make payments of US$5 or the equivalent in rand for their infants to be immunised.

One parent who spoke on condition of anonymity said she was told there was no BCG at St Mary’s Clinic and was referred to a private facility in Chitungwiza were she could get her child immunised.

“When I was walking away…. one nurse approached us as a group of mothers and said if we wanted to have our children immunised, we had to pay US$5 or the equivalent in rand, which we rejected because none of us had that kind of money,” she said.

She added that they then reported the matter to Chitungwiza Municipality for redress and mayor Lovemore Maiko and his team went to the clinic.

Council spokesperson Lovemore Meya confirmed the incident, saying they had received complaints from parents.