Thyolo District Health Office has launched the Covid-19 vaccination awareness campaign to increase Covid-19 vaccine uptake in the district as only 17 percent of the population is fully vaccinated.

Speaking during the launch at Nagwengwere Primary School grounds in the district, Chief Preventive Health Officer Veronica Noukumila announced that, in partnership with Access-Challenge, a local organisation, they have launched an awareness campaign to combat misinformation, misconceptions, and harmful religious beliefs surrounding COVID-19 vaccines.

She said many people did not take the vaccination because of the misinformation and misconceptions that other people have .this has resulted in vaccine hesitancy and suspicion, resulting in low COVID-19 vaccine uptake.

Meanwhile Access Challenge’s Country Programme Manager, Flera Chimango Kulemero, outlined that the organization will also roll out the awareness campaign in Phalombe District, which has the lowest vaccine uptake in the country.