COVID-19 Vaccines Promotion Part 1 (October 2021-April 2022)

COVID-19 Vaccine Promotion is a culturally and linguistically appropriate vaccine education funded by the Ministry of Health. This project has begun in December 2021 and it continues until March, 2021. The goal of this project is to improve vaccine uptake among Oromo community in Auckland.

The experience from overseas and New Zealand showed a poor communication as a major reason behind low vaccine uptake for the COVID-19 mass vaccination. In order to address the mis-information and dis-information in our community, AUOCI is running a tailored COVID-19 vaccines promotion. We deliver evidence-based information to our community using different platforms. We have volunteer health promoters who are working hard to provide the right information for our community in Afan Oromo.

If you want more information about the COVID-19 vaccines and if you want money for transportation problem to go to receive vaccine you can contact Mulisa Debela: 0220573457 or Hassan Burka: 02040454796.

COVID-19 vaccine Promotion Part 2: “Roll up 4 Junior & Booster” (May 2022 to June 2022)

As of May 1, 2022, the Project “Roll up 4 Junior & Booster” has commenced as a second part of the COVID-19 Vaccine Promotion. The main objective of this project is to improve the COVID-19 vaccines uptake among children between 5-11 years and booster vaccines among adults aged 18 years and over. Although this project’s main focus is the Oromo community members, the service is not exclusive. It’s open to any other ethnicities.

There is also some evidence from MOH which said that booster and paediatrics vaccine among low socioeconomic status (SES) DHBs such as Counties Manukau DHB were lower than other DHBs and lives in the areas like south Auckland, we believe our whanau lagged behind in terms of boosters and children’s vaccines. The Auckland United Oromo community is aware of the existence of hesitancy towards both adults and paediatrics COVID-19 vaccines due to mis-and-dis-information. Since significant number of our families are low SES. Many families have no official information about the COVID-19 vaccines because of language and cultural barriers. The Project Roll up 4 Junior & Booster will improve vaccine uptake by addressing barriers including hesitancy.

For our community members, especially those with a limited English language, essential information about booster and pediatric vaccines will soon be translated and posted on our social media platforms. This project will also create a short video in Afan Oromo and share it on our Websites, Facebook page and WhatsApp group. We also invite an expert from IMAC and ADHB to provide presentations on the importance of booster and paediatric COVID-19 vaccines. The time and place of the session will be announced over the coming weeks.

We also are preparing a community event in collaboration with South Seas Health Care limited. This event will take place at the drive-thru clinic located in Otara, MIT campus on the 21st of May, 2022 please come along and join us. The details of this event is to be announced over the coming days.