from HASSAN ONYANGO in Kampala, Uganda
KAMPALA, (CAJ News) – UGANDA’S coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccination campaign has gotten off to a slow start with health workers reluctant to be inoculated.
The snub has been widely reported in the West Nile sub-region
In Arua City, less than 10 percent of the frontline health workers were vaccinated in the first two days and only 26 percent of the registered health workers agreed to be vaccinated, according to the district records.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) and health authorities expressed concern.
Dr Apangu Pontius, Acting District Health Officer of Arua City, said the initial COVID-19 vaccination campaign, which started in March, was marked by a poor turn-up due to a number of reasons ranging from administrative challenges.
“Key among these was hesitancy from the front-line health workers who were our first target,” Pontius said.
WHO risk communication teams in the West Nile region have responded to these concerns by designing and implementing orientation sessions for the target groups.
The exercise is anticipated to tackle rumours and misinformation around the vaccine.
Uganda is using the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine.
It has received some negative publicity through social media and in the news about leading to blood clots.
Uganda has registered 334 deaths from COVID-19.
This is out of a total of 40 734 cases.
– CAJ News