By: Mariama Njie& Nyima Sillah
Large numbers of people have made haste decision that they will not take the World Health Organization’s donated COVAX jab. Decision of some of these people came just a day after the country received more than 37,000 COVAX syringes.
The country on Tuesday received 20,000 vaccine doses of the Chinese Shinapharm from Senegal, which will be used to inoculate health workers and elderly people.
But some people said they would not take any vaccine amid conspiracy theories about the vaccine’s doses.
“I vowed that none of my family member will be injected with it, because I think it is not safe,” Fatou Sillah Said, while she urged the Ministry of Health to do more sensitization about the Covax vaccine.
Bintou Chaw said she heard that the covid-19 vaccine could affects female fertility saying “for that been the case as a single lady I would not like to take it, unless there is further clarification from the health workers in The Gambia.”
“I know fully well that our government will not bring something harmful to its people but the misconceptions surrounding the COVID-19 vaccine need more sensitization,” she said.
He believes that the COVAX vaccine is safe and everyone should take it especially those at old age.
“I will not take the vaccine, it might be harmful by taking it, because many of us are not infected with Coronavirus, so taking the vaccine might be harmful,” Awa Jallow said.
She called on the Health Minister and team to conduct more sensitization on the vaccine to clear doubts of people.
However, Babu Cham applauded the Ministry of Health for receiving the Covid-19 vaccine. He said “this is what Gambians were praying for, and now that it is available, we hope to conquer the virus.”
In the same development, the general public had been warned by top official of the Ministry of Health to stop spreading false information about the World Health Organization’s-backed COVAX vaccine.
Buba Darboe, Program Manager at the Ministry of Health told The Voice in an exclusive interview and said: “people should stop spreading rumor about the COVAX vaccine that arrived in the country.”
“The COVAX vaccine has been approved by the health experts, World Health Organization and the Ministry of Health and the vaccine is safe to be vaccinated by anyone in the country,” he said.
He said the first batch of the vaccine will not able to supply everyone compare to the population of the country. But, the Ministry of Health will first give the vaccine to the frontline health worker as they are the most vulnerable when it come to the virus.
“The Ministry is expecting to have another dozen which will be vaccinated among the elderly and the diabetes patients.
“People can now tell by their own observation when the vaccine is given to the frontline health workers because the MoH approved all medications that are vaccinated in this country before starting the vaccination process,” he said.
According to him, there has been mountains of rumor regarding the virus but now it is clear to everyone that the virus is real and it do exist in this country, “some people make our work difficult by giving out wrong information’s and that makes people not adhere to the rules and regulations prescribed by the WHO.”
However, he urged the public not to listen to the rumor instead they should always adhere to the rules and regulations of WHO and the announcements given by the MoH.
“If anyone needs any information they should come to the Ministry or call us before disseminating wrong information that will put doubts in the minds of the people,” he appealed.