Scientists want Covid jab programme re-evaluated

It is one year today since Malawi rolled out the Covid-19 vaccination campaign and scientists have proposed a re-evaluation of the programme, especially on set targets.

The Covid-19 vaccination campaign was launched on March 11 2021 and Ministry of Health figures show that out of the 11 million target, representing 60 percent of the critical population, only 828 080 Malawians were fully vaccinated by Wednesday.

The figures show that 1.1 million Malawians have received the first jab and that 1.9 million doses of assorted Covid-19 vaccines have so far been administered since the launch the campaign.

In an interview yesterday, Malawi University of Science and Technology microbiologist Dr Gama Bandawe, said it is clear that there have been struggles in the vaccination campaign; hence, there is need for re-evaluation to set realistic targets in Malawi’s context.

He said: “Perhaps we need to recalibrate and look at what’s realistic given the acceptance and attitudes that Malawians have towards these vaccinations.”

Bandawe said there will also be need to intensify on Covid-19 information and keep focus on people with underlying comorbidities such as diabetes, cancer, heart disease and blood pressure.

In a separate interview, infectious disease expert Dr Titus Divala said the vaccination programme needs to be re-focused towards people who are at risk.

“With the low Covid-19 mortality in Malawi, I would like to encourage the national response to refocus the vaccine programme towards the most at-risk people in the next year. This way, all the efforts will achieve maximum national benefits,” he said.

Divala also said while there is still misinformation and false reassurances, there is no need for pretence that Covid-19 has not been harmful to society.

On his part, Health and Rights Education Programme executive director Maziko Matemba said while there may be many factors affecting the vaccination programme, the sad part is the unwillingness of the targeted population to get vaccinated.

But in a separate interview, Presidential Task Force on Covid-19 co-chairperson Dr. Wilfred Chalamira-Nkhoma said whatever the route that will help to achieve herd immunity, the international and national target remains 70 percent.

He said: “Therefore, until we have credible information from local representative research on the current levels of immunity from both natural infection and the vaccine being rolled, it would be unwise to reduce the vaccination target. That would be guesswork.”

Chalamira-Nkhoma further said people’s hesitancy to get vaccinated is not a scientifically acceptable reason to reduce the target.

During the presentation of a report to President Lazarus Chakwera at Kamuzu Palace in Lilongwe on Monday, Chalamira-Nkhoma said Covid-19 vaccines and other interventions have helped avert at least 4 600 potential deaths.

He also said at least 124 000 Covid-19 cases were averted.