MORE than 75,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccines from the 132,000 donated, have to be used before they expire this month, an official says.
Pandemic Response deputy controller Dr Daoni Esorom said health authorities were struggling to convince people around the country to get vaccinated.
So far, only 54,932 people around the country have been vaccinated: 7,604 health workers, 41,477 essential workers and 5,851 others including those with comorbidities.
The vaccines sent to Western, Southern Highlands and East Sepik will expire on July 18.
The vaccines sent to all the province will expire on July 29.
The 14 who reported minor side-effects have fully recovered.
“The biggest challenge is that we are struggling to get (more) people to come for vaccination,” Dr Esorom said.
“Misinformation is the major (reason) preventing people from getting the vaccine. We need to drive the demand for vaccination. We need to be giving facts to people on the benefits of vaccination.”
He said vaccination was now open to everyone above 18 years of age.
In Port Moresby, people can get the first jab at the Rita Flynn centre and the second jab at the National Football Stadium. “We also have from New Zealand 146,000 doses (kept) at the area medical store. So there is enough for the second dose,” he said.
“Last week, we received 200,000 doses of Sinopharm from the Chinese government with 21,000 taken care of by the Chinese Embassy for their citizens.”
The National / PNG Health Tips
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