University of Malawi to Roll Out Covid-19 Vaccine Program

By Hawa Malishe

Zomba, Mana: University of Malawi with funding  from Open Society Initiative for Southern Africa (OSISA) will this month roll-out a campaign aimed at encouraging Malawians take  the Covid 19 vaccine in  Zomba.

The project also known as Katemela wanga chitetezo chanthu in Chichewa will be for 18 months and will be implemented in five districts including Zomba.

According to the principal investigator of My vaccine, our protection project, Yamikani Ndasauka the project also aims to counter misinformation about Covid 19 vaccine, so that a lot of people should be encouraged to receive the vaccine and protect each other from the disease.

“False information breeds confusion and in this time of Covid 19 vaccination, it is very important that people get the right information so that they make informed decisions.

“In this project, our emphasis is to make sure farmers get the right information and be encouraged to get vaccinated,” said Ndasauka.

He said some of the myths and misinformation affecting Covid 19 vaccination uptake are that those who get vaccinated would  die after five years and that the vaccine affects  fertility.

According to Ndasauka, the university would conduct intensive awareness for the whole month so that right information sinks into people in the five selected districts.

Zomba district Health Promotion Officer, Arnold Mndalira hailed OSISA for providing resources to the university to conduct the massive awareness campaign.

 “Covid 19 vaccine is just like any vaccine and there is no problem that people can face after receiving it. Let me assure Malawians that the vaccine is safe and they should stop consuming the false information,” said Mndalira.

So far, there are three Covid 19 vaccine that are been administered in zomba, AstraZeneca, Johnson and Johnson and Pfizer biontech.