Africa-Press – Tanzania. LOCAL Primary Health Care Committees chaired by Regional Commissioners, World Health Organisation (WHO) officials and other stakeholders are expected to meet from today to strategise the implementation of a programme envisaged to equip the public with the correct and accurate information over Covid-19 vaccination.
Media and United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) will be part of the programme, which will be implemented in the Tanzania mainland’s 26 regions.
Speaking during the yesterday’s Government and Media Covid-19 roundtable virtual meeting organised by Internews Tanzania, the Communication Officer in the Ministry of
Health, Community Development, Gender, Elderly and Children, Said Makori, said the programme was expected to broaden transparency and accountability in the heath sector.
As the State eyes to inoculate at least 60 per cent of its population, he said, health experts, leaders and media were important components.
“The task ahead in the next two weeks is to ensure leaders engage stakeholders over,” he said, insisting that the ministry has been entitled to protect the health of ‘wananchi’ and has nothing to hide as far as vaccination is concerned.
The official stated said the government will execute the strategy in collaboration with the University of Dar es Salaam, Sokoine University of Agriculture in Morogoro (SUA), Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences (MUHAS), as well as the National Institute for Medical Research (NIMR).
On the other side, the Internews Senior Trainer Alakok Mayombo pointed out that transparency and accountability are important aspects in the exercise, as the country is executing the vaccination awareness programme at both regional and district levels.
The trainer added that Internews was currently supporting journalists and community media outlets to reach out different groups with correct and accurate information on Covid-19 and vaccination.
Last week, the government launched an inclusive and fast-tracking community programme which increased the number of Covid-19 vaccination centres from 550 to 6,784, a projection to finish the remaining stock in two weeks’ time.
The programme was launched in the country’s capital city of Dodoma by the Minister for Health, Community Development, Gender, Elderly and Children Dr Doroth Gwajima.
At the event, the Ministry Permanent Secretary, Prof Abel Makubi said the public should not be blamed for reluctance to take up the jabs, saying health experts must do their assignment well by educating them on the positive impacts of being immunized.
Equally, the PS directed the Regional and District Medical Officers (RMOs and DMOs) as well as District Executive Directors (DEDs) to mobilise the public to go for the vaccination within the two weeks to have the remaining stock cleared.
