More than 500 frontline workers attended awareness sessions on coronavirus that were organised by the Ministry of Health in Vanuatu.
Since the Government has approved the rollout of a safe and effective vaccine, the ministry’s Health Risk Communications Team has been working with the Shefa Provincial Health Team to deliver the sessions to relevant organisations to ensure a successful and peaceful rollout of vaccination programme.
The team held a training of trainer’s course for nurses practicing on Efate Island and provided them with COVID-19 up-to-date information.
Health workers on Efate as frontline workers are amongst the first priority group to receive a safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine.
“Nurses are critical to any health system to deliver healthcare services to individuals, families and communities. In the face of COVID-19, they become extremely instrumental to reassure the population and to implement the vaccination program. I take this opportunity to thank them all for their ongoing dedication, hard work and courage to protect our communities from COVID-19,” said Director of Public Health, Len Tarivonda.
The Shefa Provincial Health Team with assistance of Shefa Provincial Government, Shefa RedCross Branch and ActionAid, conducted awareness sessions about COVID-19 to other frontline workers.
These include personnel from all quarantine facility sites (Ramada Resort, Moorings Hotel, Tamanu on the Beach Resort and Spa, Iririki Island Resort and Spa Vanuatu, Aquana Beach Resort, Warwick Le Lagon, Holiday Inn Resort, Erakor Island Resort and Spa, Tropicana Lagoon Resort Accommodation), Vanuatu Airport Limited, Airport and wharf Immigration and customs, Vanuatu Police Force (VANSEC House and Vanuatu Police College, Southern Command, Vanuatu Mobile Force, Vanuatu Maritime Wing), Ifira Stevedoring and casual workers, South Sea Shipping, Pacific Aviation Safety Office and Vanuatu Sport Association and National Olympic Committee (VASANOC).
The Shefa Provincial Health team also met the management personnel of Vila Central Hospital to discuss the rollout of the vaccination programme.
“I thank my team for conducting these awareness sessions and all people involved to make them happen including all frontline workers who kindly participated in and asked relevant questions. This exercise provides an opportunity for all of us, frontline workers, to raise our concerns and prepare together an effective rollout of the vaccination program. I’m confident frontline workers understand COVID-19 vaccine is Vanuatu’s safest option to fight the threat of COVID-19,” said Shefa Province Public Health Manager, Obed Manwo.
“These awareness sessions are very instrumental to inform our frontline workers with reliable information. Some participants have heard different false and incorrect stories from social media. Diffusing these incorrect messages is extremely detrimental to Vanuatu safety. It is important to remind people to listen to official sources of information such as the website of the Ministry of Health and its Facebook page and to stop spreading rumors,” said Lola Iavro, Health Information Officer at Shefa Provincial Health.
WHO, UNICEF and the Australian Government through the Vanuatu Health Programme are supporting the Ministry of Health to respond to COVID-19 and to roll out a safe and effective vaccine programme.
Photo supplied Caption: Shefa Provincial Health Team delivers COVID-19 awareness session to frontline workers