Nice intensifies Covid vaccination campaign

National Initiative for Civic Education (Nice) Trust has intensified awareness campaign to scale up Covid-19 vaccination uptake in Lilongwe District.   

Speaking on Friday in Traditional Authority Chadza in the district, Nice communication officer Grace Hara said they want to reach many people, including those in hard-to-reach areas with Covid-19 messages.

“The awareness campaigns are the most effective way to raise public interest in Covid-19 vaccination,” she said.

However, Yusuf Zaipa, a trader at Chadza Market, asked health authorities to conduct vaccination outreach programmes in the area, saying some people complain that Nathenje Health Centre where the vaccines are administered is far away.

“I also ask authorities to introduce vaccination centres in primary schools to motivate more people to get the jabs,” he said.

Bwaila Hospital assistant environmental officer Emmanuel Kampingo said vaccine uptake in rural areas is slow due to misconceptions about the jabs.

“We have planned to scale up immunisation exercise in rural areas. That is why we are conducting awareness campaigns to lobby more people to get vaccinated against the disease,” he said.

According to World Health Organisation, Malawi has fully vaccinated 1.3 million people, representing six percent of its population while the target was to reach 30 percent by June this year.

As part of a campaign to drive towards the 30 percent milestone, Nice is running mass awareness campaigns in markets, schools and churches to dispel misinformation on Covid-19 vaccines.

As of Saturday, the country had cumulatively registered 86 565 Covid-19 cases with 2 646 deaths. n