A four-day training for health workers in Autonomous Region of Bougainville kicks off today, Tuesday 8 March in Arawa.
AROB has launched the training that will equip its health workers with vital knowledge, skills and confidence on COVID-19 vaccination.
Central Region Rural Health Services Director, Peter Arwin in opening the training on behalf the Secretary for Health, underscored the critical role of health workers in increasing demand generation and acceptance of COVID-19 vaccine.
“To ensure wider acceptance, higher uptake and demand generation for COVID-19 vaccine, health workers should play a unique role by administering the vaccine in a way that makes communities feel safe, respected, comforted and informed,’’ said Mr Arwin.
He emphasized the importance of health workers to vaccinate themselves ahead of others and set a good example.
According to Mr Arwin, health workers will realize this key responsibility if they acquire the scientific knowledge about COVID-19 vaccine and the skills to communicate that with clients.
The training program is expected to empower participants through knowledge and skills on COVID-19 vaccine and that in turn will enable them to mobilize the public to be vaccinated against the virus.
During the training participants will share practical experiences and discuss main challenges on COVID-19 vaccine.
The program has brought together forty Health Workers representing all the health facilities in the Northern, Central and Southern regions of the AROB.
The training is organized by the Department of Health of AROB in collaboration with WHO, UNICEF, Save The Children and CARE International.
This training is taking place a week after the heads of 22 provincial health authorities, key health officials and partners gathered in the national capital to address the challenges of COVID-19 vaccination rollout in the country.
This shows the commitment of the AROB government to maintain the well-being of citizens and deliver health service to all.