The Ministry of Health and Medical Services COVID-19 vaccination taskforce has enlisted the help of the Ministry of iTaukei Affairs to raise awareness on the importance of the vaccine among the iTaukei community.
“We are working closely with the Ministry of iTaukei Affairs, especially through the normal provincial structures, as we continue to enter rural communities with our vaccination program,” taskforce head Dr Rachel Devi said.
“We want to make sure that we get the right information to them in the manner that they can understand and they can make that informed decision.
“These are the few things that we are doing and the other thing is we are encouraging our own ministry staff and doctors to engage their villages and their provinces.
“Our minister started that this week when he went on an online panel for the people of Lau.
“So the different provincial doctors are organising these important discussions within their own provinces because I think it is also important that we reach out to Fijians through our own ministry doctors who speak their language and who can deliver that message in their own dialects.”
She said the ministry had also reached out to religious leaders to also head campaigns in encouraging Fijians to get vaccinated.
“It’s very encouraging that we had the head of the Methodist Church of Fiji taking the stand to get vaccinated.
“So that is one of the routes that we are taking to spread awareness and the message that getting the vaccine is very important to protect ourselves and our loved ones.
“I mean the last thing we want is to lose more Fijian lives to COVID.”
