A new study has shown that confidence in the effectiveness of vaccines in stopping Covid-19 and fear of severe disease were the key determinants of vaccine acceptance in the country.
The study conducted by researchers at the Infectious Diseases Institute (IDI) of Makerere University between January and April further revealed that many people in the country embraced the Covid-19 vaccination exercise for fear of being barred from accessing some essential services or facing travel restrictions.
According to Dr Richard Muhindo, the lead researcher, vaccination uptake was mainly driven by fear of severe infection if one contracted COVID-19, travel restrictions or being denied certain services and strong confidence that the vaccine works and is effective.
He said people also strongly trusted information regarding vaccination from health professionals and top government officials.
The study was done among Persons Living with HIV (PLHIV), health workers, and community leaders in the Kampala Metropolitan Area.
According to Dr Muhindo, out of the 767 PLHIV who participated in the study, 485 (63%) were women and 282 (37%) were men.
He said over two-thirds (69.6%) reported receiving at least one vaccine dose, with women more likely than men to be vaccinated (73% vs. 63%).
Among the unvaccinated, 64 (27.3%) were unwilling to accept vaccination.
Dr Muhindo revealed that some of the reasons for non-acceptance included; fear of side effects, doubts over vaccine efficacy, and misconceptions that one’s body systems will weaken if the vaccine interacts with HIV and HIV medications.
People living with HIV are at increased risk of developing severe Covid-19 and dying from the disease because of reduced immunity, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).
While commenting on the report, Dr Andrew Kambugu, the IDI director, said there is a need to educate but also get the insights.
“One of the participants thought that if they have diabetes and hypertension, then they are too weak to get a vaccine. It is not correct information because if you have these conditions and you get Covid, you are the person who will likely end up at the intensive care unit, so, such a person needs the vaccine the more,” Dr Kambugu said.
Speaking at the launch of the study held at Fairway Hotel in Kampala, Beatrice Amuge, a Public Health Specialist and Commissioner of Health Services in charge of Nursing and Midwifery at the Ministry of Health, asked health workers to be exemplary by taking up the vaccines.
She said the ministry will use the recommendations from the researchers to inform vaccination strategy.
She urged the public to accept the vaccines, saying they are safe and effective.