Lubega Muhamadi*, Namulema Edith, Waako James, Nazarius Mbona Tumwesigye, Safinah Kisu Museene, Hellen Mukakaarisa, Stefan Swartling Peterson, Anna Mia Ekstrom
COVID-19 Vaccine hesitancy among health workers remains a major hindrance to the governments vaccine roll out plan among health workers and other target populations in Uganda.
We conducted 12 focus group discussions and 20 in-depth interviews with health workers (vaccinated and unvaccinated) to understand barriers to vaccine acceptance from their own perspective and context in central and eastern Uganda. Reported barriers to vaccine acceptance included: lack of trust, fear of side effects, risk denial and insufficient information about the vaccine amidst negative publicity about the vaccine from the internet and social media platforms. Others were health system inhibition factors and religious beliefs against the vaccine.
We recommend a context specific information, education and dissemination adapted to health workers' needs to create more awareness, and knowledge about the vaccine.
We also recommend a that the government initiates and implements a broad long-term strategy including a sustained media campaign to provide the Ugandan public with updated information and dispel negative publicity and misinformation about the vaccine.
Engaging in dialouge with health workers at all levels of care, use positive peer influence, use of religious and opinion leaders as well as ensuring accessible and safe vaccination posts to could also increase uptake of the vaccine among health workers.