Blantyre DHO in Covid jabs outreach campaign

Blantyre District Health Office (DHO) has launched a Covid-19 outreach vaccination campaign to scale up vaccine uptake in the district.

Speaking to journalists on Saturday, Blantyre district director of health and social services Dr. Gift Kawaladzira said they want to take advantage of the summer season when Covid-19 cases have dropped to vaccinate many people before the rainy season.

He said residents that have not yet taken their jabs will not be forced to do so because people have the right to get vaccinated or not.

Said Kawaladzira: “We will intensify the advocacy to clear myths and misconceptions preventing many people from getting vaccinated.

“I also urge companies and organisations not to force their members of staff to get vaccinated. But they can contact us to convince their employees to get the jabs.”

On his part, Medicins Sans Frontieres Covid-19 response coordinator Charlie Masiku, whose organisation is supporting Blantyre DHO’s outreach campaign, said they wanted to reach many people with Covid-19 messages.

“We need to intensify the campaign to encourage many people to get vaccinated and ensure that they do not relax the observance of Covid-19 guidelines,” he said.

In his remarks, community health ambassador Maziko Matemba commended Blantyre DHO for demonstrating leadership in the fight against the pandemic.

“The initiative comes at the right time since many people will be vaccinated; hence, preventing the vaccines from expiring as it happened previously,” he said.

James Mambala, a resident, hailed the campaign, saying it will help to lobby more people to get vaccinated.

About 300 people took their jabs on Saturday after launching the campaign.