The Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism (MICT) and the Ministry of Health (MOH), with support from UNICEF, have organised a visit with a team of journalists to Xieng Khunag to observe and strengthen COVID-19 vaccination efforts in the northern province.
The team of journalists from national media, led by Mr. Vannasin Simmavong, Deputy Director General of the Mass Media Department of the Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism, will be visiting three districts in the province with the purpose of observing the current progress and challenges of vaccination efforts.
Later during the week, the team will visit Khoun district where they will be meeting with local authorities to discuss COVID-19 vaccination efforts.
They will additionally be observing the vaccination system at the district hospitals where they will interview health workers and beneficiaries of the vaccination programme. In addition to Khoun districtp, the team will also be visiting Nonghed and Kham districts.
COIVD-19 has greatly affected the economy and livelihoods of the Lao people, including Xieng Khuang province, and media has dedicated much effort towards supporting the COVID-19 response.
Despite those efforts, challenges remain in expanding vaccination coverage due to financial constraints and limitations in human resources.
Nevertheless, the promotion of COVID-19 vaccination remains an important task and the media is determined to ramp up promotion efforts through its channels, including through television, radio, newspapers and village loudspeakers.
Cases and deaths from COVID-19 throughout the Lao PDR has been declining in the past several months thanks to the overall steady progress in vaccination, with around 70 per cent of the population having already completed their primary series of vaccination (first and second dose). However, vaccination uptake in some provinces remain low, including Xieng Khuang province.
Several provincial and district health authorities recently conducted two rounds of COVID-19 vaccination. However, authorities continue to face challenges pertaining to the demand for vaccines, with vaccine hesitancy being among the most common barrier. The current plan is to expand vaccination coverage in areas that are immediately within reach, such as urban areas, especially when considering the heavy rainfall we are experiencing right now which can make the terrain more difficult to navigate in remoter areas.
COVAX is a partnership co-led by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), working in partnership with UNICEF as well as the World Bank, civil society organisations, manufacturers, and others stakeholders.
This visit will therefore provide valuable insight for MICT, MOH and UNICEF on how vaccination in the province can be improved.
This visit to Xieng Khuang follows after a briefing in June was held for senior news editors from the media on the current status of COVID-19 vaccination in the Lao PDR and how the media can support the national vaccination efforts. This kind of media mission was organized in Savannakhet and Khammuane provinces in June and July 2022.
Source: Lao News Agency