131 newly registered nurses undergo COVID-19 vaccination training

A two week intensive COVID-19 vaccination training for 131 newly registered nurses has been organized by the Ministry of Health and Medical Services (MHMS) with the first group comprising of around 68 nurses commencing their training this week. The next group comprising of the remaining nurses is scheduled to begin next week.

The training followed two other important health events held last week, the Training of Trainers (ToT), to conduct further provincial trainings on COVID-19 vaccination and meeting of the MHMS Executive and the provincial directors and relevant health officials to develop a Master Plan for the mass vaccination scheduled for roll out in July.

As part of the nurses training this week, various aspects of the vaccines, its development, safety and efficacy, including the vaccination processes from registration and vaccination to post vaccination monitoring for Adverse Events Following Immunization (AEFI) have been and will be covered throughout this week. Apart from course on vaccination, the nurses were also given a short course on COVID-19.

The training also provided an opportunity for the nurses to also ask questions and make clarifications on various aspects of the vaccines including how to tackle situations that may arise during the national vaccination rollout.

Health Permanent Secretary Mrs Pauline McNeil explained that these newly graduate nurses would be deployed to the provinces to support the roll out of the vaccines.

 “Based on the vaccine roll out master plan developed by our Provincial Health Directors and their teams last week, there is need for additional resources to operationalize the plan, thus with respect to the shifting of resources, hence human resource need of the plan, the Ministry of Health and Medical Services has decided to utilize these newly registered nurses for the vaccine roll out activities in the Provinces”

“This is also important to ensure that we do not disrupt the current man power or nurses in provincial health facilities and therefore usual business and health service delivery continues in serving all other health needs of our people across the country”, explained Mrs. McNeil.

Once deployed, these nurses will be rolling out the vaccination at fixed sites and mobile outreach services, meaning they will either use a health facility to set up vaccination site or a tent for strategic positioning to enable ease of access by all surrounding communities.

Health teams will also conduct outreach activities to roll out COVID-19 vaccination for hard to reach and remote communities. This entails vaccination teams comprising of doctors, nurses, registration and data entry and risk communication officers with all vaccination gears and the vaccines moving on land, or by canoe to islands to administer the vaccines.

The Ministry of Health is calling on all community leaders, Chiefs, church leaders, elders and community members across the country that once this happens; their support is critical to ensure that health workers can roll out the vaccines.

Getting all eligible persons vaccinated will greatly enable the country to reach its full potential in protecting its population more especially the children, 18 years and below from severe illness, hospitalization and death from COVID-19.

The training funded by WHO is facilitated by National Expanded Program for Immunization (EPI) team including Mrs. Jennifer Anga, Mrs. Edna Titulu, MHMS Advisor Dr. Yogesh Choudhri and Dr. Simon Burggraaf, EPI Specialist WHO

Get your vaccination jab done when it is made available in your area and lets all help protect our families, communities and country against COVID-19 global pandemic.