Africa-Press – Tanzania. Residents of Babati have turned up to vaccination centers in big number to get vaccinated against the coronavirus.
The unprecedented surge follows a two-week mass campaign and sensitization mission by health experts in the region.
Speaking here recently, expert of infectious diseases from the Ministry of Health, Community Development, Gender, Elderly and Children Ministry said they were impressed after weeks of vaccine hesitancy.
“Perhaps the communities weren’t sensitized enough that’s why there was low turnout, by and large we are encouraged by the sheer number of people who have come for the immunization drive,” observed Dr Alex Patrick.
The health expert also attributed the initial low turnout to the hustles and bustles of accessing the vaccination centers.
“As you know a great deal of Manyara residents are pastoralists and the centers were far apart, hence it was challenging for them to walk long distances to get their jabs,” he said.
According to Dr Patrick, devolving the vaccination centers at ward levels saw a surge in number of people accessing the vaccines.
On his part, Babati District Commissioner Lazaro Twange urged the residents to get vaccinated, saying the vaccines were safe and effective.
“COVID 19-vaccines are effective. They can keep you from getting and spreading the killer virus,” clarified the area DC.
He further assured Babati residents that the government will establish more vaccination points across the country to cope with the high demand of the jabs.
Last month, the government announced that it had increased centers for COVID-19 vaccination from 550 to 1,548 to enable people to get the jabs en masse.
President Samia Suluhu Hassan had in July this year launched the vaccination drive and assured Tanzanians that the vaccines against the pandemic were safe.
Mass vaccinations against the pandemic started on August 3 in 550 centers initially set by the government in mainland Tanzania’s 26 regions after the country received over one million COVID-19 vaccines through the COVAX facility arrangement.
