Nkurenkuru-based Pastor Mike Hamutenya says COVID-19 vaccines and prayers must not be at opposing ends, and one must not replace the other.

Hamutenya was responding to concerns raised by a member of the public that some churches do not believe in vaccination or the modern health system and are telling people to not get vaccinated, but to pray instead.

“People are told to go to church for a cure,” the community members said.

Hamutenya, a pastor for the Enlightened Christian Gathering during the launch of the learner COVID-19 vaccination campaign in Kavango West Region, on Tuesday said people should pray for healing but that does not mean they should not get vaccinated too.

“I am a pastor who is vaccinated and I can tell you there is nothing wrong with us Christians getting vaccinated. Get vaccinated and continue to pray,” he urged, adding that everyone has witnessed the negative impact of COVID-19.

“COVID-19 is a serious disease; it is the enemy that we all have ro fight. It is believed that vaccines will help us end the pandemic, we should all do our part together with prayers to end the pandemic because faith without action is dead. It is faith with action that produces results,” he advised.

Namibia is targeting the vaccination of 70 per cent of the population by June; however, the country is still far off the mark and by 09 March 2022, 449 996 people aged 18 years and older had received one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, representing 31 per cent of the target population while 392 589 (27 per cent) of the target population are fully vaccinated.

The Ministry of Health and Social Services has highlighted the circulation of misinformation on social media and public domains as well as different traditional and religious beliefs and values, as some of the issues contributing to the low uptake of vaccines.

The ministry and other stakeholders have been engaged in different campaigns and activities aimed at boosting vaccination uptake.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency