Kazako applauds Malawians for opening up on Covid-19 vaccine debate
The Minister of Information and Communication Technologies, Gospel Kazako, has commended Malawians for up and seek clarification from duty-bearers on the Covid-19 vaccine developed by British-Swedish pharmaceutical AstraZeneca in partnership with Oxford University.
President Lazarus Chakwera, in his weekly Covid-19 update on January 31, said government had secured doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine to give as many citizens as possible immunity against Covid-19.
Chakwera said the vaccines will be administered on 20 percent of the country’s total population.
But the news was received with mixed reactions as some quarters of the society feels the vaccine is not safe.
Yet still, some faith leaders have been warning their flocks to shun the vaccine, claiming it marks the end of the world.
This has prompted the government to engage faith leaders in a discussion to reach a common ground for fighting the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic.
And speaking at the Covid-19 Joint Faith Community Response and Adaptation Framework Validation Meeting in Lilongwe on Thursday, Kazako assured faith leaders that the government will be transparent in the administration of the vaccine.
“As government, we are fully aware of the people’s rights to know what sort of vaccine is being injected into their bodies. So, we are not surprised that the coming in of the vaccine has ignited debate among various stakeholders and we are encouraged by such a debate because it borders on the health of people,” said the minister.
Kazako disclosed that the major objective of the meeting was to create a platform for both the church and the government to hear each other’s concerns.
He emphasized that since the citizenry hold more allegiance to the church than to the State, it is imperative that the two institutions should partner in the administration of the vaccine and the whole fight against the pandemic.
Kazako further stated that faith groups have a duty to clear the mistrust that some have created among citizens about the aim of the vaccine.
“We know that without people, there would be no government and without people there would be no church. This means both the church and the government are serving one people. And, therefore, the church and the government must work together to address the socioeconomic issues that are affecting the people,” he emphasized.
The Malawi Interfaith Aids Association (MIAA) board chairperson, Bishop Gilford Matonga, expressed concern over the alleged hasty decisions the government has been making in its efforts to contain the pandemic.
Matonga said the government has not been consulting widely before taking decisions.
Presidential Task Force on Covid-19 co-chairperson Dr John Phuka is on record as having said the country will need to vaccinate between 60 percent and 80 percent of the population to achieve the herd immunity.
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Iyinso ndiye mbuzi inanso iyi. Dibeti yachani kutaya nthawi kapena kuti zizilowa ku zodiac ndalama boma lidzilipira inu. Mumvekere debet. Dibeti yopanda nayo research. Vaccines yomweyi ngati yanuyo kuno ku RSA akuti sabaya anthu it’s not effective akupanga plan B. Inu ndiye poti ndi aMinister a information mutinyase A Dr Mpuka aliku? Bwanji simufuna iwo adzigwira ntchito yao bwino bwino adzayankhula wokha monga achitira a Mkeze ku RSA. Anthu atha kumvera a Dr Puka kuposa inu chifukwa ndiye ma Dokotala. Amadziwa iwo kuchita kwake kuti anthu awamva. Chonde khala pansi zachipatala adzinena okha inu a Ndale anthu anataya nanu chikhulupiriro… Read more »
Pa ngolo panu nose
Mr. Kazako dont cheat people, Church and State cannot work together coz these institution are different
Do we have any kind of idea created thru debate here? The thing is whether you like it or not, vaccination should never be compulsory ; people should take it voluntarily.
If humans toed this line, we would have been more decimated by plagues over the millenia.
Lets accept the Vaccine and move forward otherwise too much conspiracy surrounding this Vaccine. These Mzungus if wanted to get lid of Africa population, they can do it in a matter of some days coz all the Vaccine we use whilst still kids comes from Europe/America such as Rabies Vaccine, Polio vaccine , HIV pills and etc. All pills and Sylap in Pharmacies are coming from there, so what so special about this Covid Vaccine? Malaria drugs all come from them. So let’s accept the reality that Covid is here with us then let’s vaccinate the population to get lid… Read more »
Wisdom! Thank you
but of late has toned down
Koma ineyo I hate this guy he thinks he is a mister knows it when answering questions
Azungu akubayana everyday and night and some quarters are busy advising others against the vaccine yet people are dying, schools closing and business collapsing. We cannot be commenting on something that we have never developed. All the vaccines that are in our bodies were developed in the same countries. No one is in control of our destiny and everyone is responsible for his or her life. The faith community cannot be saying this is the end of the world. Who told them that the world will end? In the 21st Century we are still taking lies from fake prophets. This… Read more »