The government’s COVID-19 vaccination programme is getting pushback from faith-based leaders in some hinterland communities, says Health Minister, Dr. Frank Anthony.
He said today, during his COVID-19 update: “We’re still confronted with a problem in some communities, where people who have influence in those communities, some of the faith-based leaders have been telling their church members not to take the vaccine.”
The Minister is urging the national faith-based leaders to speak with its members in hinterland communities about the importance of getting vaccinated.
“All of the meetings that we’ve had with the national leaders of all the different faiths, have supported the vaccination programme, and we need that message to filter down to the pastors and so forth in the various communities so that message can be consistent,” the Minister noted.
He added, “In some communities, these church leaders have a very dominant position; a lot of people listen to them. If they tell them (residents) not to take the vaccine, then, unfortunately, we’re finding that a lot of people in those communities are not taking the vaccine. We have to change that.”
