Health Emergency Operations Centre (HEOC) has revealed 27% of the eligible Maldivian population remain unvaccinated.
At a press conference, the Spokesperson of the HEOC Dr Nazla Rafeeq said vaccinating 70% of the population is a significant step in curbing the COVID-19 pandemic. Nazla said it is the responsibility of all individuals to convince unvaccinated individuals of the importance of receiving vaccines since an inoculated population would lead to the ease of COVID-19 restrictions. She said it is the most opportune time to vaccinate the rest of the population as the number of COVID-19 cases have decreased in the Maldives.
Highlighting the importance of receiving the first dose, Nazla urged individuals to convince their family and friends to get vaccinated as part of their national duty. Noting the progress made in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, she said the Maldives would be among the first countries to inoculate the majority of its population even when compared to the developed countries which received the vaccines first.
Furthermore, Nazla said the purpose of the national immunisation programme is to provide the most effective vaccines to the population. She also noted how the last wave of the COVID-19 pandemic had threatened the lives of numerous individuals and said that a new wave could be prevented if most of the population are inoculated. An inoculated population would lead to the ease of restrictions, allowing children and students to return to their normal lives, she also added.
The government has stated the purpose of the programme is to fully vaccinate 90% of the Maldivian population by the end of August and will be launching a nationwide government vaccination programme will be launched on July 31.