Is Zimbabwe’s COVID-19 vaccination rate among the highest in Africa?

CLAIM: Zimbabwe has the third highest rate of vaccinations in SADC and 8th highest in Africa, as a share of the population.

Source: President Emmerson Mnangagwa, through his official Twitter account.

VERDICT: Correct. 

In a Twitter post on April 12, 2021, urging Zimbabweans to get vaccinated against COVID-19, President Mnangagwa said:

“Zimbabwe has the third highest rate of vaccinations in SADC and 8th highest in Africa as a share of the population.”

What does the data say?

Statistics compiled from official sources by open data portal Our World in Data show that, as of April 11, 2021, 1,3% of Zimbabwe’s population had been vaccinated against COVID-19, giving the country the third highest inoculation rate in the southern African region, behind Seychelles with a continent-leading 65,6% and ESwatini, with 1,75%.

On a continental basis, Zimbabwe was indeed in eighth position, behind Seychelles, Morocco (12,12%), Sao Tome & Principe (4,44%), Rwanda (2,69%), Ghana (2,26%), Senegal (2,05%) and ESwatini.

Zimbabwe’s vaccination rate is currently ahead of countries such as Tunisia (1,21%)< Malawi (1,07%), Togo (1%), Equatorial Guinea (0,79%), Kenya (0,78%), Angola (0,75%), Botswana (0,55%) and South Africa (0,49%).

CONCLUSION:

Mnangagwa’s claim on Zimbabwe’s COVID-19 vaccination rates is rated correct at the time it was made. 

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