Minister of Health Dr Frank Anthony on Friday indicated that vaccine hesitancy remains the reason for the low COVID-19 inoculation rates in some regions.
Regions Eight and Ten have particularly low rates and during Anthony’s daily COVID-19 update Stabroek News asked what targeted approaches the ministry has been employing in these regions.
Previously, Anthony had stated that the local health authorities will conduct vaccinations in each region with tailored approaches to cater for that population.
“I guess the reasons for these low coverage is because of perceptions, hesitancy and I think that is what is driving the low coverage,” he, however, stated yesterday.
He noted that in both regions there are teams on the ground. While Region Ten has the lowest inoculation rate for both first and second doses countrywide, Dr. Anthony noted that there are a number of sites operating there daily to conduct vaccinations.
“Unfortunately at some of these sites, we probably get two or three persons coming in any given day. In some cases no persons would turn up at some of the sites,” he said, while noting that the ministry is expending resources but is not getting the expected turnout.
Anthony also mentioned that even with the poor turnout, the Health Ministry is still keeping the inoculation sites open and has continued the education programmes in the region.
As it relates to Region Eight, which currently has the second lowest vaccination rate, Anthony said that the ministry has done similar things to increase the uptake even as he noted that there is another factor causing hesitancy in some of the communities there.
“Another factor that is at play there in some communities is a religious factor. We have been able to get some religious leaders to go into those communities to have discussions with the local religious leaders to talk to them about the importance of getting vaccinated,” Anthony said. He added that despite these efforts, the authorities have only seen modest uptake in Region Eight.
Further, he mentioned that if this continues to be an issue, COVID-19 would continue to be prevalent in those areas, making them high risk for travel.
