It is close to three months since Ethiopia has introduced COVID-19 vaccines. It was in a national launching event held at Eka Kotebe COVID-19 Hospital the beginning of the vaccination campaign was marked and the vaccination campaign was launched nationally as well as in all states in simultaneous high-level events.
At that time, the inoculations were given for frontline health workers of the Hospital- doctors, nurses and support staff- Dr Tenaye Desalegn being the first person to receive the vaccine.
The event was held in the presence of high government officials, health professionals, religious leaders and prominent people, including Dr. Dereje Duguma Health State Minister, Dr Getahun Mekuria, Education Minister, Athlete Commander Derartu Tulu, Kesis Tagay Tadele, Secretary General of Inter-Religious Council of Ethiopia, representatives from the UN, CDC, non-governmental organizations and health workers.
While speaking on the occasion, Dr Getahun Mekuria, Education Minister had said “With the introduction of vaccines, we are now at a landmark stage in the response to COVID-19, but vaccines will be of sideline use if facemasks, keeping distance and hand hygiene are not maintained.”
Supporting Dr. Getahun’s statement, WHO Representative Dr Boureima Hama Sambo had said, the arrival of the first batch of COVID-19 vaccines through COVAX provides an effective tool to end the acute phase of the pandemic,” adding, “To maximize the public health benefit of the vaccine, the National Vaccine Deployment Plan prioritizes the first doses for health and essential workers, and other at-risk groups.”
True, thanks to the coordinated action of global partners, WHO and other organizations who delivered the vaccines through COVAX initiative plus the relentless efforts of the government, the commencement of COVID-19 vaccines is an important move in the Ethiopian health sector in reducing the spread of the pandemic. These days, Ethiopia is engaged in vaccinating the greater part of its population against COVID-19 along with applying COVID-19 precautionary measures as it should be.
As to Ministry’s daily COVID-19 report, as of 25 May 2021, a total of 1,717,481 people have been vaccinated against the virus in the top priority groups – all medical professionals and essential workers, those over the age of 60, plus those in high-risk categories and vulnerable group.
The country has also set a plan to give COVID-19 vaccine jab to 20 percent of its population by March 2022 to achieve the best possible outcome from the vaccine introduction.
According to Dr. Lia Tadesse, Health Minister, the majority of the public have been responding positively to the vaccination campaign against COVID -19.
Speaking with the ENA, Dr. Lia said that the Ministry has been carrying out COVID-19 vaccination throughout the country and most of the people are positive about it.
“The overall vaccination activity in states has been going well. Most regional states performed well but some lagged behind the schedule because of different reasons. At present, however, the states are vaccinating the public,” the Minister further said.
Though the majority of the people responded positively to COVID-19 vaccination, there is also some resistance among some people, the Minister added.
“Accepting the vaccination program, most of the people are getting vaccinated. However, in some cases, people are hesitant and fearful to take the inoculations. These people have to understand clearly as the pandemic has been claiming more lives than ever. And as it is witnessed in different countries, vaccinated persons develop immunity and are not vulnerable to the pandemic,” she elaborated.
Vaccinated persons have little chance of being infected by the virus and the severity of the disease is low even if infected, it was learned.
Thus, the Minister urged the public to get vaccinated in order to effectively contain the spread of the pandemic concurrent to adhering to public health measures to contain the spread of the pandemic.
Mentioning that the Ministry will continue vaccinating people in mass, the Minister stressed the need for collaboration with stakeholders.
Needless to say that, commencing the vaccination against the pandemic is an extraordinary achievement as the virus is spreading from time to time alarmingly and snatching the lives of people in unprecedented level.
In the interim, sector’s professionals expressed time and again, and there is broad agreement within the global scientific community that the most effective way to defeat the COVID‑19 pandemic is through the mass vaccination of populations around the world. Therefore, taking the jabs is critical to contain the spread of the pandemic and lower the daily new cases and death rate.
Equally, sensitizing the public about the vaccines through any possible means, conduct extensive and well-managed community engagement is of great importance to hold successful vaccination campaigns.
It was March 7, 2021; Ethiopia has received 2.184 million doses of the Astra Zeneca COVID-19 vaccine via the COVAX Facility.
The success was said a historic step towards nation’s goal to ensure equitable distribution of COVID-19 vaccines globally. The delivery was part of the first wave of arrivals of the COVID-19 vaccines in Ethiopia.
BY STAFF REPORTER
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD MAY 27/ 2021
