Dec 22, 2021
OVER 50 VANUATU RED CROSS Society (VRCS) volunteers across the country have been heavily engaged in the national vaccination rollout campaign, in the provinces of TORBA, MALAMPA and TAFEA.
A high number of volunteers were recruited by the National Society and trained by the Ministry of Health to assist the Medical Health team in their respective provinces.
“Red Cross engagement has been very instrumental to the delivery of our rollout operation in the five targeted islands – prior and during the vaccination campaign,” said TORBA’s Provincial Health Center Administrator, Steven Nako..
We are so fortunate to have support form VRCS volunteers, because they are already familiar with the existing structure in the community – chiefs, women, people living disability, youth – they were tasked in the information hub to attend people’s query, in registration of client, as well as doing data entry for all vaccinated people.
“ I n a d d i t i o n , t h e s e volunteers are not just volunteers, they have other skills that are also related to health matters, like First Aid, WASH, Reporting and Finance, that eased our daily operations on the ground and at the Emergency Operation Center. It is not a wrong choice to work with Red Cross.”
In TORBA, volunteers were part of the Mobile Health team deployed in Motalava, Gaua, Merelava, Torres, Vanualava, and Ureparapara with a target to ensure 6,198 people are vaccinated.
In MALAMPA, volunteers and the mobile team commenced the campaign in the southern and South West of the island of Malekula, two weeks ago.
This week, the team is in the South West area. In TAFEA, volunteers are now on Erromango island, Aniwa and have been to Aneityum. The VRCS volunteer focuses on registering clients, providing a brief summary about the vaccine and possible side effects.
After getting vaccinated, volunteers handed the vaccination cards to the vaccinated. They have to travel long distances by vehicle, boat and walk from village to village, and house to house, but they enjoyed it because it is a great experience.