Bua Province aims to reach 90% to 100% vaccination coverage by next month

91% of the eligible population in the Bua Province have received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine while 62% have received their second dose, and the Bua Provincial Council is now aiming to increase that number by November as the second dose vaccination coverage remains a concern in Bua.

Roko Tui Bua Ratu Waisake Tuisese says the COVID-19 vaccination and awareness team has conducted four rounds of awareness in all the ten districts in Bua and another round of awareness will begin this afternoon in the 6 villages that have lower vaccination numbers.

Ratu Waisake says they are hoping by the end of the month, the number of the first doses and second doses increase to 90% or even reaches 100%.

He adds the misinformation about the virus and the vaccine on social media has played a major role in preventing people from getting vaccinated while others are using religion.

The Roko Tui Bua says they are thankful to their team that some of these people are coming forward to get vaccinated.

Ratu Waisake also agrees with the Prime Minister's statement that any district representative or Mata Ni Tikina and Turaga Ni Koro that is not vaccinated will not be paid and will be terminated from that position. He says district representatives and Turaga Ni Koro are the government link to the people and they should be vaccinated.

Ratu Waisake highlighted the Commissioner Northern has been stressing this to the Turaga Ni Koro and Mata Ni Tikina and they are thankful that most of them have come forward and received their jabs.

Permanent Secretary for Health, Doctor James Fong has stated that their current vaccine coverage data indicates a need for the Ministry to provide additional resources to Nabouwalu Hospital to prepare for the possible escalation of COVID 19 cases and adverse events.

He says the second dose vaccination coverage for the Bua Subdivision remains a concern based on the Ministry’s vaccination coverage data.

Doctor Fong says this will have to be a key strategy in remodelling the health service provision to ensure community surveillance through the test, trace and track protocols are being escalated to help them identify and contain any outbreak early; registration and line listing of vulnerable persons especially in poorly vaccinated areas are done; preparations for the monitoring of positive cases and vulnerable persons to ensure better access to appropriate care plans has been made and clinical care protocols for the severe disease has been reviewed and strengthened.

He says the Whole-of-Government Community Engagement initiative will be escalated in the North with particular attention made to the Bua Subdivision and this will include a reduction of the vaccine dose interval to 6 weeks.

Meanwhile, the Health Ministry has recorded 60 quarantine test results of concern from around 700 travellers to the North over the 7-day period from 20th to the 26th of October.

Doctor Fong says all 60 people were fully vaccinated and had tested negative prior to travel to the North.

He says from this 60, 10 cases are potentially infectious and are being isolated.

Doctor Fong says home quarantine measures have been activated for their primary contacts.

The Permanent Secretary highlighted the vaccination coverage for the North is more than 90% for the first dose and more than 75% for the second dose.

Doctor Fong says the Northern Medical Team is working with Commissioner Northern and the Ministry of Economy on ration supply for people and family members on restricted movement protocol.