The Ministry of Health is working to increase the number of COVID-19 vaccination sites in the country and has disclosed that it is also establishing locations for persons with HIV to receive their shots.
This was stated by Health Minister, Dr Frank Anthony yesterday during his daily COVID-19 update where he informed that one issue that the authorities have uncovered is that persons who are HIV+ did not feel comfortable going to the regular vaccination sites.
“As of this week we have been working with the national [HIV] care and treatment site here in Georgetown to make that also into a vaccination site,” Anthony noted, adding that that process should begin this week.
He explained that patients who go there for their regular treatment will be counselled about taking the vaccine and can receive their shots right there. Also, it is expected that this process will be replicated at all care and treatment sites.
“We are hoping to replicate this at all of our care and treatment sites so that these patients don’t have to feel uncomfortable and go to one of the fixed sites and I think this is going to encourage more people to take the vaccine”, he said.
To this end he added that the ministry will continue to encourage persons to get their vaccines especially those with comorbidities and will ensure that persons with underlying health conditions like HIV are aware that they have access to these vaccines.
Further, as it relates to the expansion of vaccine sites across the city and region, he related that the ministry is working to have more health centres be used as vaccination sites. According to Anthony, between the Ministry of Health and the municipality, they have approximately 13 centres in operation.
“We have had discussions with the municipality about making three of their sites into active vaccination sites. Last week, we conducted a training [session] for the persons that will be working there and as of this week we want to activate that plan where health centres in and around the city would become vaccination sites,” the health minister said.
