With COVID-19 cases continuously increasing, Government is reviewing its COVID-19 vaccination strategic campaign to enhance awareness and increase the country’s required 60 per cent herd immunity.
In an interview with Nampa on Tuesday, Minister of Health and Social Services, Dr Kalumbi Shangula, said although government vaccination campaigns were rolled out in March when the first jabs were administered, the existing method is not effective enough to drive people to believe in the efficacy of the vaccines.
Namibia has been administering the Oxford AstraZeneca and China-produced Sinopharm vaccines since March. By Tuesday, 107 611 first doses and 20 999 second doses had been administered countrywide.
Shangula said government saw the need to review the campaign strategy to involve Namibians from all sectors of influence to enhance health awareness and counter anti-vaccination information.
“We are trying to involve the private sector, church leaders, influencers and traditional leaders to drive the campaign by using their own structures to promote the vaccination campaign,” he said.
Shangula noted that government has realised that mis-information about the vaccination has gained ground in the community, and there is a need for a vigorous vaccination campaign for Namibia to meet the required 60 per cent herd immunity to lower the country’s infection rate, as well as reduce the number of hospitalised persons.
He further indicated that it is important for people to understand that the vaccine thus far is the only effective arsenal in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, complemented by the existing World Health Organisation health regulations which include wearing masks, observing social distancing, washing hands and avoiding crowds.
Meanwhile, regions such as Khomas, Erongo and Otjozondjupa are leading in vaccination, with 36 866, 11 435 and 9 360 first doses administered respectively. Second doses stand at 6 239, 1 838 and 1 930 in these regions respectively.
The regions with the fewest administered vaccines are Zambezi, Kavango West and Oshikoto, with the first doses standing at 1 787, 2 817 and 3 933 respectively, while only 479, 628 and 613 second doses have been administered.
Source: Namibia press Agency
