Mchinji DHO hails NICE for targeting hard-to-reach areas with Covid-19 messages

Malawi: Mchinji District Health Office (DHO) has praised the National Initiative for Civic Education (NICE) for delivering Covid-19 messages to hard-to-reach communities, writes Watipaso Mzungu.

Juliana Kanyengambeta, the district's Director of Health and Social Services, observed that the approach NICE is taking in its awareness campaign is motivating rural-based communities, who previously had negative perceptions and misconceptions about the vaccine, to get the vaccine.

Kanyengambeta made the remarks on Wednesday, following the completion of a 14-day Covid-19 vaccination awareness campaign aimed at all Traditional Authorities (T/As) in Mchinji.

"Mchinji District Council relies on partners like NICE to reach out to hard-to-reach areas with information about the Covid-19 vaccine. Mchinji, as a border district, has many hard-to-reach areas, and these people need messages about the various health interventions that the government is implementing, and we need organisations to help us spread messages about the Covid-19 vaccine to supplement the campaigns that we are already running," she explained.

However, Kanyengambeta was quick to emphasise the importance of Mchinji residents continuing to follow Covid-19 prevention measures so that the district can deal with the disease.

Pilirani Emmanuel Banda, District Civic Education Officer (DCEO) at Mchinji NICE Trust, stated that with financial support from the Global Fund, NICE has increased awareness about the Covid-19 vaccine in order to increase uptake in hard-to-reach areas.

Banda stated that the Trust is using a mobile public address system that is travelling throughout the district to encourage people who have not yet received vaccination to do so.

"We hope that by the end of 14 days, people will be convinced to get vaccinated," he said.

Banda stated that the organisation was holding the awareness campaign in collaboration with Mchinji District Hospital officials to educate the public on the importance of getting vaccinated.