Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Hon. Nigel Dharamlall says more resources will be provided to push the Government’s COVID-19 vaccination campaign in Region Two, following the slow response by residents to the initiative.
The Minister, who was addressing contractors on Friday, said while efforts are being made to make vaccines available, it is being met with some resistance.
“Region Two has been, I think recalcitrant in the way that they have treated with COVID-19 for a very long time. I think the fact that the vaccination rate in the Region has not been moving as quickly as we would like it to move and so we will be putting resources toward this.”
As such, Minister Dharamlall urged the contractors to encourage others to take this opportunity to get vaccinated to protect themselves. The Minister noted the importance of the vaccine and expressed hope that the rumours about the vaccines are not dictating residents’ decision to get inoculated.
“I have visited some Regions and we have gotten some very flimsy excuses because people do not want to take the vaccine and I do not think that is something that as partners in development that we should treat with so lightly,” Minister Dharamlall said.
Regional Health Officer (RHO) Dr. Ranjeev Singh told DPI that the Region has seen an increase in persons receiving their second doses of the vaccine. However, there is a decrease in the number of persons getting their first dose.
Since the first case of COVID-19 was reported in Guyana, the Region has implemented the COVID-19 measures outlined by the Ministry of Health. As a step to further to boost these efforts, the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) constructed a $12 million COVID-19 isolation facility at the Public Hospital Suddie, to accommodate the increasing Covid cases.
This region also has isolation facilities at Lima Sands and Mainstay.
Last month, the Ministry hosted a vaccination drive-through exercise to Bush Lot, Essequibo Coast to increase the community’s access to the vaccine.
