300 health workers in Bundibugyo get Covid-19 jab

Bundibugyo, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | 300 health workers have so far been vaccinated against Covid-19 in Bundibugyo district.

The vaccination centres are Bundibugyo hospital, Nyahuka HCIV, Butama, Ntandi and Kikyo HCIIIs.

Dr Christopher Kiyita, the district health officer, says that 600 health workers in public and private health facilities across the district had registered for vaccination. He adds that mostly health workers from private health facilities have shunned getting the jab.

Kiyita attributes the general low turn up on the misinformation that is circulating on social media about the AstraZeneca vaccine and its portrayed negative effects. He also says that medical personnel were not enlightened about the vaccination before it was launched.

Deogratius Mugenyi, a health worker in one of the facilities in Ntandi says that conflicting opinions of health workers regarding the safety and effectiveness of the vaccine has discouraged some of them from receiving the jab.

Kiyita however adds that they are devising other means which include the use of local media to encourage health workers to embrace the exercise.

Bundibugyo received 3,720 doses of AstraZeneca vaccine targeting about 1,860 people.

The Covid-19 vaccination drive kicked off at the beginning of the month in different parts of the country.

As of today, 80,836 people have been vaccinated against COVID-19 using the AstraZeneca vaccine. The groups that have been vaccinated so far include health workers, security personnel, Members of Parliament, religious leaders, the Office of the Prime Minister and political leaders.

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