The government has launched an inclusive and fast-tracking community programme which increases the number of COVID-19 vaccination centres from 550 to 6,784, projection being finishing the remaining stock in two week's time. The programme launched in Dodoma yesterday by the Minister for Health, Community Development, Gender, Elderly and Children, Dr. Doroth seeks to ensure the 600,000 COVID-19 doses are finished within 14-days as the government takes the services closer to communities especially those in remote areas.
The Ministry Permanent Secretary, Prof. Abel Makubi told the Regional and District Medical Officers from across the country who attended the launching ceremony that the programme is envisaged to equip the community with the correct and accurate information for them to show up for voluntary COVID-19 vaccination.
He said so far, almost 350,000 individuals have been vaccinated, saying unlike other jabs, the coronavirus is an outbreak disease, thus it doses have special time for dispensing to curb the spread. “This is not those vaccination that one takes a jab when he finds it fit, this one is for outbreak diseases… Coronavirus spreads fast and pose great health effects due to its short- and long-term effect that is why people should go for it in bulk and within specified time to tame more spreads,” he insisted.
He said it was unfortunate that the public has been fed with mixed information about the vaccination. He said to make people understand the vaccination importance; they must be incorporated and given the accurate knowledge and information to make informed decisions. Prof. Makubi said the public should not be blamed for reluctance to take up the jabs, saying health experts must do their assignment well by educating them on the positive impacts of being vaccinated.
He tasked the Regional and District Medical Officers (RMOs and DMOs) as well as District Executive Directors (DEDs) to mobilise the public to undertake the vaccination within the two weeks to have the remaining stock finished. Prof. Makubi said they must use all awareness methods as the government has increased the number of vaccination centres to 6,784 and where some areas are far from the facility then they use the mobile vaccine cite to reach the remote and hard to reach areas.
He directed the medical officers to include the religious and local government leaders to educate and use local radios in the awareness programme to avail the community with correct information about the vaccination, so that they decide to go for the jab. Prof. Makubi said the programme will officially take off on Monday after which, they will conduct an evaluation meeting to see if there were challenges and come up with best plans for the future.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Embassy of the United Republic of Tanzania Tel Aviv, Israel.
