The Eastern Equatoria State health ministry on Monday launched the third phase of the Johnson and Johnson Covid-19 vaccination campaign in Torit town.
The campaign targets those aged 18 and above.
Dr. Ethin Condord, the director general in the state health ministry warned that Covid-19 is still active and called on citizens to continue adhering to preventive measures. He expressed disappointment over the poor turnout during the second phase.
“Coronavirus is real and here to stay with us, so we also need to take measures on how to stay with it. WHO brought some statistics that the vaccine actually targeted 70 percent of the population but only 20 percent turned up for the vaccines, not only here but worldwide,” he said.
“For this reason, we need the uptake of the vaccine in our state to rise up to 70 percent because it is safe and very important,” he added.
The acting director of health in Torit County, Oboyi Joseph, said the campaign will run for a week and encouraged the population to take the vaccine, saying it is safe.
“It is going to be the third phase in Torit County. The first phase was conducted by the Cordaid last year and the second by Health Pool Fund,” he said. “Today we are going to look to our own youths who have turned 18 and above. The Covid-19 vaccine is safe and not dangerous.”
Alice Achan Jacob, a resident of Torit town, while waiting to take her jabs, said the vaccine is important since it will protect her.
“I took my first dose during the second phase of the vaccination campaign and did not have any side effects yet I am diabetic,” she said. “People should inject it because this vaccine has no side effects or complications.”
Another Torit resident, Mario Jackson, cautioned social media users not to discourage people from taking the vaccine.
“We need people to receive this vaccine and I am also urging the youth who were aged 17 and are now 18 to come for the vaccine because it is not harmful,” he urged. “Some of our intellectuals, especially those who do not want to receive the vaccine, are using Facebook to create fear among the people.”
Meanwhile, Jacob Atari Albano, the commissioner of Torit County, said there is still a need to educate the grass populations on the importance of the Covid-19 vaccines.
“Most of our people in the villages and in the town do not want to receive Covid-19 vaccine thinking that they will get complications and dies,” he said.