COVID-MALAWI VACCINE CHIEFS -- WEB
Metadata
- COVID-MALAWI VACCINE CHIEFS -- WEB
- January 25, 2022
- Content Type Package
- Language English
- Transcript/Script English In Malawi, nearly two years into the COVID-19 pandemic, only seven percent of the population have been vaccinated against the infection, one of the lowest rates in Africa. Village chiefs are trying to change that number by urging people to take the jab at mobile vaccination clinics. Lameck Masina reports from Blantyre, Malawi. ]] ((Nat sound of chief addressing villagers at a public meeting on COVID Vaccine)) ((TEXT)): Public meetings and door-to-door campaigns are among the strategies village chiefs in Malawi like John Sanganiza are using to mobilize villagers. Here, the chiefs defuse myths that link the COVID-19 vaccine to infertility and allegations that the shot is the government's ploy to reduce the population. ((Sanganiza, ACT in Chichewa establish and fade under text 27 secs)) Sanganiza, who is a chief for Pasani village, says, “I give them an example that there is a life prolonging drug, ARVs. If the government wanted to reduce the population by killing people, it could have used ARVs. But now, many people are taking ARV but they are not dying.” ((End ACT)) The chiefs accompany mobile vaccination clinics where villagers are voluntarily vaccinated against COVID-19. The effort started in July as part of a yearlong program, funded by the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations. A consortium of eight NGOs including Goal Malawi and Save the Children is working to scale up vaccinations in rural areas. In chief Pasani’s area of 11 villages, about 500 of 1,200 adults have now been inoculated. Jaina Banda is among the vaccinated villagers. ((Banda ACT in CHICHEWA, 23 SECS)) She says “I have long been refusing to get vaccinated because of what some people were saying that vaccines will make me infertile. So as a lady my fear was that I won’t have children. But I have realized that this is not true because some ladies who are vaccinated are able to have children.” ((End ACT)) With a population of nearly 20 million, only 800,000 people in Malawi have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine – far short from the country’s target of vaccinating 11 million people by December of this year. The low number is largely attributed to misconceptions about the safety and effectiveness of the shot. Those implementing the project, however, say working with chiefs has helped change perceptions because villagers trust the chiefs. Lawrent Kumchenga is campaigns and communications Manager for Save the Children. ((Kumchenga ACT in English, 19 secs)) “And also noticing that chiefs, local leaders are getting the jab right in the community is very powerful encouragement to community members. So, we have noticed a very big shift in terms of figures in areas where we are supporting and running this project.” ((End ACT)) Malawian government health authorities hail the project. Mailesi Mhango is immunization coordinator for the Blantyre District Health Office. ((Mhango ACT in English, 19 secs)) “So, we could see some people coming for the vaccine because of their chiefs, mobilization of their chiefs. So, this also assisted us to increase the uptake of the vaccine, maybe up to 15 to 20 percent.” ((End ACT)) Project implementers say some villagers shy away from the public meetings because they think they will be forced to get the jab. That challenge, however, is overcome by a door-to-door campaign where elderly villagers are voluntarily vaccinated, right outside their homes. ((Lameck Masina, for VOA News, Blantyre, Malawi))
- Transcript/Script In Malawi, nearly two years into the COVID-19 pandemic, only seven percent of the population has been vaccinated against the coronavirus, one of the lowest rates in Africa. Village chiefs are trying to change that by urging people to take the jab from mobile vaccination clinics. Lameck Masina reports from Blantyre, Malawi. VIDEO: VOA- villagers attending a public meeting on COVID Vaccine-JOHN SANGANIZA ((NARRATOR)) Public meetings and door-to-door campaigns are among the strategies village chiefs in Malawi like John Sanganiza are using to mobilize villagers to get vaccinated. VIDEO: VOA- Village Chef Sanganiza address meeting Here, the chiefs defuse myths that link COVID-19 vaccine to infertility and allegations that the vaccine is the government's ploy to depopulate the country. John Sanganiza, Village Chief Pasani ((n Chichewa, 27 secs)) “I give them an example that there is a life prolonging drug, ARVs. If the government wanted to reduce the population by killing people, it could have used ARVs. But now, many people are taking ARV but they are not dying.” VIDEO: VOA- Villagers getting vaccinated During the campaigns, chiefs accompany vaccine mobile vaccination clinics where villagers are voluntarily vaccinated against COVID-19. VIDEO: VOA- Goal Malawi official sensitizing the villagers on the program The effort started in July as part of a yearlong program, funded by the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations. A consortium of six NGOs including Goal Malawi and Save the Children is working to scale up vaccine uptake in rural Malawi. (VIDEO: VOA- villagers queuing for the jabs) In chief Pasani’s area of 11 villages, about 500 of 1,200 adults have now been vaccinated. ((Jaina Banda, Villager (in CHICHEWA, 23 SECS] “I have long been refusing to get vaccinated because of what some people were saying that vaccines will make me infertile. So as a lady my fear was that I won’t have children. But I have realized that this is not true because some ladies who are vaccinated are able to have children.” ((VIDEO: VOA- health worker entering figures in the COVID registry)) With a population of nearly 20 million, only 800,000 people in Malawi have received at least one dose of the vaccine – far, far short from the country’s target of vaccinating 11 million people by December this year. ((VIDEO: VOA- Health worker vaccinating a villager)) The low uptake is largely attributed to misconceptions about the safety and effectiveness of the vaccine. (VIDEO: VOA- project implementers sharing some notes) However, project implementers say working with chiefs has helped change the perception because villagers trust the chiefs. ((Laurent Kumchenga, Save the Children Communications Manager (English 19 secs )) “And also noticing that chiefs, local leaders are getting the jab right in the community is very powerful encouragement to community members. So we have noticed a very big shift in terms of figures in areas where we are supporting and running this project.” ((VIDEO: VOA- Ministry of Health workers discussing figures)) Malawi government health authorities hail the project. ((Mailesi Mhango, District Immunization Coordinator (in English, 19 secs )) “So, we could see some people coming for the vaccine because of their chiefs, mobilization of their chiefs. So, this also, assisted us increase the uptake of the vaccine, maybe up to 15 to 20 percent.” VIDEO: VOA- Villagers attending the COVI meeting] Project implementers say some villagers shy away from the public meetings because they think they will be forced to get the jab. ((VIDEO: VOA- Elderly person readying for vaccination: Elderly person gets a jab)) However, that challenge is overcome by a door-to-door campaign where elderly villagers are voluntarily vaccinated right at their doorstep. ((Lameck Masina for VOA News, Blantyre, Malawi )) The effort started in July as part of a yearlong program, funded by the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations. A consortium of eight NGOs including Goal Malawi and Save the Children is working to scale up vaccinations in rural areas. In chief Pasani’s area of 11 villages, about 500 of 1,200 adults have now been inoculated. Jaina Banda is among the vaccinated villagers. ((Banda ACT in CHICHEWA, 23 SECS)) She says “I have long been refusing to get vaccinated because of what some people were saying that vaccines will make me infertile. So as a lady my fear was that I won’t have children. But I have realized that this is not true because some ladies who are vaccinated are able to have children.” ((End ACT)) With a population of nearly 20 million, only 800,000 people in Malawi have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine – far short from the country’s target of vaccinating 11 million people by December of this year. The low number is largely attributed to misconceptions about the safety and effectiveness of the shot. Those implementing the project, however, say working with chiefs has helped change perceptions because villagers trust the chiefs. Lawrent Kumchenga is campaigns and communications Manager for Save the Children. ((Kumchenga ACT in English, 19 secs)) “And also noticing that chiefs, local leaders are getting the jab right in the community is very powerful encouragement to community members. So, we have noticed a very big shift in terms of figures in areas where we are supporting and running this project.” ((End ACT)) Malawian government health authorities hail the project. Mailesi Mhango is immunization coordinator for the Blantyre District Health Office. ((Mhango ACT in English, 19 secs)) “So, we could see some people coming for the vaccine because of their chiefs, mobilization of their chiefs. So, this also assisted us to increase the uptake of the vaccine, maybe up to 15 to 20 percent.” ((End ACT)) Project implementers say some villagers shy away from the public meetings because they think they will be forced to get the jab. That challenge, however, is overcome by a door-to-door campaign where elderly villagers are voluntarily vaccinated, right outside their homes. Lameck Masina, for VOA News, Blantyre, Malawi
- NewsML Media Topics Health, Education, Arts, Culture, Entertainment and Media
- Network VOA
- Embargo Date January 25, 2022 17:11 EST
- Brand / Language Service Voice of America - English