Health officials in Bor town of Jonglei State are giving up some AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine doses to other areas because turnout at vaccination sites has been low in the county.
Speaking to Radio Tamazuj Wednesday, Dr. Samuel Majur, the Jonglei health ministry director-general, said: “Last Wednesday, we sent 40 vaccine doses to Juba and 30 doses to the Greater Pibor. So far we have vaccinated a total of 745 people.”
Early last month, the state received 1500 vaccine doses.
According to Dr. Majur, they have been unable to use half of the total vaccine doses because there is vaccine hesitancy among residents.
“About 645 vaccine doses are here with us. We will continue using them before the expiry date. But by Monday, July 12, we will have a meeting with our partners to see what we can do with the remaining doses. We want to ensure that the vaccines are sent out to the rest of the areas or are used before they expire by July 18.”
Radio Tamazuj caught up with several residents on the issue of vaccine hesitancy.
One Bor resident, Mary Yar Manyang, said she chose to remain unvaccinated because she is allergic to injections.
“I am allergic to injections so I chose not to get vaccinated. Also, we hear that those who are vaccinated will still get the virus, and they are required to abide by the protocols like mask-wearing, “he said.
Another resident, Mabior Yuol, said: “If everyone else is to get vaccinated, I will not accept. I do not go for vaccines in my life. And again, we hear that the vaccine itself harbours virus,” he said.
For his part, Dr. Simon Deng Nyichar, an assistant professor of microbiology and dean of the College of Medicine at the University of Upper Nile, urged South Sudanese to go for vaccination, emphasizing that it is the only way to control the virus.
A consultant at the National Public Health Laboratory, who only identified himself as Dr. Deng, confirmed that vaccine hesitancy is widespread across the country.
“COVID-19 vaccine like any other vaccines is for our protection. All these myths and misinformation that the vaccine could cause infertility and blindness are untrue. Our leaders and I took the vaccine,” Dr. Deng said.
He added, “I call on everyone else in the country to accept the AstraZeneca vaccine. It is safe. If you are vaccinated, Covid-19 will just be like common colds.”