Tackling misinformation is as important as ensuring efficient supply and equitable

access, according to WHO.

Vaccine hesitancy poses challenge for Nepal’s campaign against Covid-19
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Arjun Poudel
Published at : January 25, 2021Updated at : January 25, 2021 07:49Kathmandu
Several health care providers, including doctors deployed on the frontlines have
asked Dr Kiran Pandey, a consultant physician, whether they should take the Covid-
19 vaccine or not.

The health workers doubt that the vaccines meet quality standards and fear side
effects even as authorities prepare to roll out the Covishield vaccine, provided
under an Indian grant, from Wednesday.

“I am surprised by the questions health workers, including doctors from my own

circle, have asked about the vaccine,” Pandey told the Post. “I found a kind of
hesitancy among healthcare workers—something that had not been seen in Nepal
before.”

As Covid-19 vaccines are unconventional as were developed in a short period. That

might have raised concerns among health workers, experts say.

“We finally have the vaccine. No one had expected that it would be available so
soon,” added Pandey. “When people get something unexpected, it is difficult for
them to accept it.”

In 2019, the World Health Organization declared vaccine hesitancy as one of the top
ten global health threats. Doctors say that hesitancy for Covid-19 vaccines may
increase, when it is rolled out to the masses.

“People are inevitably exposed to misinformation, rumours and false conspiracy

theories, which may erode their confidence in vaccination,” reads the WHO’s
statement. “It is important to build trust in the Covid-19 vaccines before people
form an opinion against them.”

The UN health agency said that even after overcoming the imminent challenges of
sufficient supply, efficient rollout and equitable access, a range of well-designed
programme strategies will be needed to drive acceptance and uptake of the vaccine.

“Communicating consistently, transparently, empathetically and proactively about

the uncertainty, risks and vaccine availability will contribute to building trust,”
the WHO said.

Along with the vaccine hesitancy, managing possible adverse events following
immunisation (AEFI) will be another challenge for authorities during mass
immunisation drives.

“As only frontline workers will be inoculated under the first phase, authorities
are, vaccine hesitancy may not be an immediate problem ,” Dr Bikash Lamichhane,
former director at the Child Health Division, told the Post. “But authorities
should be prepared for any untoward situation when the vaccine is rolled out for
the masses.”

People are excited over news of availability of the vaccine, but any untoward
incidents after the immunisation will have a negative impact on acceptability.
Doctors say no drug or vaccine is hundred percent safe and vaccines against
coronavirus may also cause some side effects in some people.

As the people and media are highly sensitive to news on vaccines, people will come
to know of any adverse events, experts say. They believe that such events may
impact the acceptance of the vaccine.

“It will be very difficult to convince the people, if they lose their confidence in
the vaccines,” added Lamichhane. “We had to struggle to convince people to take the
drug for elephantiasis.”