Health officials in Yei River County of Central Equatoria State on Monday launched the Covid-19 vaccination exercise in Yei town after receiving the AstraZeneca vaccine last week.
Since the outbreak of the virus in the country, Yei River County has recorded over 40 Covid-19 positive cases.
Michael Lugala, the Yei County health director, told Radio Tamazuj that they received 1,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccines from the national health ministry as part of efforts to extend the delivery of health services to the local population in the country.
Lugala said the vaccination targets persons above sixty years of age and front-line health and social workers.
“We have 1,000 doses of Covid-19 vaccinations which arrived Yei town last week and we will target people from 18 years and 60 years onwards, but in case there is need for more people to be vaccinated we shall call and coordinate with the national health ministry. I want to tell the public that these vaccines are safe,” Lugala said.
Speaking at the launch, Yei River County commissioner Aggrey Cyrus, said the government has a responsibility to provide health services and protection to the population.
“As individuals, we have a responsibility to protect ourselves and protect others around us. Washing hands should be a primary responsibility for all of us to be safe and let us continue sensitizing ourselves regularly in our homes and this is what I want to stress here,” Commissioner Cyrus said.
58-year-old Ibrahim Kepa, a resident of the Erap area, expressed happiness after being vaccinated against the virus.
“I am happy because I have received the vaccine and to me, it had no side effects. I felt normal like receiving any other vaccination and I want to encourage other people to get the vaccination because we need to protect ourselves from this killer disease,” Kepa said.
Jenet Kwaje, a health worker at Bakhita Health Center in Yei town who also received her Jab, thanked the ministry of health and partners for extending the vaccination service to the people in the area.
“People should not fear vaccines, it is safe and can protect us from this virus and people should get vaccinated. Today I got vaccinated and I got the vaccination card which can also help me when traveling outside the country,” Kwaje said.
The vaccination exercise is expected to last 12 days in Yei town.