The call comes as only 15% of the 70% of the population targeted to be vaccinated in the country this year have received the jab, a development a health expert says calls for a review of the targets to suit with reality.

Despite the country registering a slight increase in Covid-19 cases, the Presidential Taskforce on Covid-19 has appealed to the citizenry to continue following all preventive measures such as getting vaccinated and good hygienic practices.

Co-chair of the task force Dr. Wilfred Chalamila Nkhoma has called on duty bearers to take part in sensitizing people to get vaccinated despite the stability in the numbers of new Covid-19 infections.

“Because we still have a small proportion of people who have received full vaccines, therefore we encourage the duty bearers, such as traditional leaders, political leaders as well as those who have companies to encourage people working in their companies to go and get vaccinated,” said Nkhoma.

Health expert Professor Adamson Muula says the government should put in place measures that will increase the uptake of the vaccine, saying, where necessary, the government should revise the targets following the situation that the country is in.

“We can adjust the target, because it was made in a different context. Maybe, the context has changed and therefore we need to come up with realistic targets that are suited to the context in which we exist,” said Muula.

Out of 13 million people who were expected to receive the jab by the end of this year in the country, only 2 million people have been fully vaccinated representing 15% of the 70% of the targeted population.

(By Anes Mwale-ZBS)