Vaccinations slowly picking up in northern Namibia
According to governors in the Oshana, Ohangwena and Omusati regions, the Covid vaccination campaign started a bit slow but numbers have picked up in the past few weeks.
TUNOHOLE MUNGOBA
OSHAKATI
The governor of the Oshana Region, Elia Irimari, says regional health authorities ran out of Covid-19 vaccines two weeks ago, but received a new consignment of Sinopharm vaccine on Tuesday.
“I would say the high number of Covid mortalities has contributed to our residents choosing to get vaccinated.
“More and more people are becoming aware of the dangers of Covid-19 and are now encouraging their family members to get vaccinated as the cases in Oshana have been the highest in the past few days,” said Irimari.
By yesterday, 3 076 Oshana residents were fully vaccinated against Covid-19.
Ohangwena
Walde Ndevashiya, governor of the Ohangwena Region, kicked off a vaccination campaign last week when regional councillors identified and set up mobile vaccination centres.
“At the moment, we only have three main vaccination points in the entire region and they are in Engela, Eenhana and Okongo. Ohangwena is a very dispersed region so our regional councillors go into the communities and identified villages and settlements in need of getting vaccine,” said Ndevashiya.
The region has also received its new stock of Sinopharm and has a few doses of AstraZeneca vaccine left.
By yesterday, 2 231 Ohangwena residents had received their second dose of Covid-19 vaccine.
Omusati
The governor of Omusati, Erginus Endjala, says people in rural areas are the ones showing the most interest in getting vaccinated.
“We have a number of gazetted clinics and health centres all over conducting the programme and giving out the vaccine.
“It is disappointing that the young people of Omusati are the ones are not getting jabbed and are discouraging each other with fake news and conspiracy theories even though they are the ones burying their parents every weekend,” he said.
The number fully vaccinated people in the region stands at 2 335.
Cemetery space
John Hango, regional health director of Ohangwena, says the region has elected a burial committee to identify burial sites for Covid victims together with community members.
“Spaces is still available and it has not been a problem for residents to bury their loved ones,” he said.
Endjala said cemeteries are under church management and the Covid deaths have put slight pressure on the churches.
“At the moment, it is very difficult to provide you with a figure, but the rate of deaths has definitely been alarming,” he told Namibian Sun.
OSHAKATI
The governor of the Oshana Region, Elia Irimari, says regional health authorities ran out of Covid-19 vaccines two weeks ago, but received a new consignment of Sinopharm vaccine on Tuesday.
“I would say the high number of Covid mortalities has contributed to our residents choosing to get vaccinated.
“More and more people are becoming aware of the dangers of Covid-19 and are now encouraging their family members to get vaccinated as the cases in Oshana have been the highest in the past few days,” said Irimari.
By yesterday, 3 076 Oshana residents were fully vaccinated against Covid-19.
Ohangwena
Walde Ndevashiya, governor of the Ohangwena Region, kicked off a vaccination campaign last week when regional councillors identified and set up mobile vaccination centres.
“At the moment, we only have three main vaccination points in the entire region and they are in Engela, Eenhana and Okongo. Ohangwena is a very dispersed region so our regional councillors go into the communities and identified villages and settlements in need of getting vaccine,” said Ndevashiya.
The region has also received its new stock of Sinopharm and has a few doses of AstraZeneca vaccine left.
By yesterday, 2 231 Ohangwena residents had received their second dose of Covid-19 vaccine.
Omusati
The governor of Omusati, Erginus Endjala, says people in rural areas are the ones showing the most interest in getting vaccinated.
“We have a number of gazetted clinics and health centres all over conducting the programme and giving out the vaccine.
“It is disappointing that the young people of Omusati are the ones are not getting jabbed and are discouraging each other with fake news and conspiracy theories even though they are the ones burying their parents every weekend,” he said.
The number fully vaccinated people in the region stands at 2 335.
Cemetery space
John Hango, regional health director of Ohangwena, says the region has elected a burial committee to identify burial sites for Covid victims together with community members.
“Spaces is still available and it has not been a problem for residents to bury their loved ones,” he said.
Endjala said cemeteries are under church management and the Covid deaths have put slight pressure on the churches.
“At the moment, it is very difficult to provide you with a figure, but the rate of deaths has definitely been alarming,” he told Namibian Sun.
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