Photo essay

Community engagement campaign Against COVID-19 in Al-Sanamein.

UNICEF and (WHO) with the Department of Health (DoH), raise COVID-19 vaccine awareness in Al-Sanamein, southern Syria.

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    • 14 December 2021

    Parallel to the rollout of COVID-19 vaccine in Dara’a, south Syria, UNICEF and The World Health Organization (WHO) with the Department of Health (DoH), have supported demand generation with a risk communication and community engagement campaign in September this year with thanks to a generous contribution from Kuwait.

    Woman raising a thumbs up and brochure
    UNICEF/Syria/2021/Abdulrahman Alkour
    “I encouraged all my relatives, neighbours and friends to get the vaccine. We must protect ourselves and others from the Coronavirus and prevent the death of more people because of it,” says Khawla, 60, after having received her COVID-19 vaccine at a health centre in Al-Sanamein city, north of Dara’a.
    Elder woman wearing mask
    UNICEF/Syria/2021/Abdulrahman Alkour
    Amneh, 72, waiting to receive COVID-19 vaccine in a health centre in Al-Sanamein city, north of Dara’a campaign, as part of the vaccination campaign supported by UNICEF, The World Health Organization (WHO) with the Department of Health in Dara’a. “Once I heard about the campaign from the health team who visited us at home, I came to the centre with my husband and children. I want to protect myself, my family and especially my grandchildren from this pandemic,” she says.
    group of women sitting on ground during awareness session
    UNICEF/Syria/2021/Abdulrahman Alkour
    A group awareness session for women about the safety and importance of COVID-19 vaccine in Al-Sanamein city, north of Dara’a, south Syria.
    Health worker giving brochures during a group awareness session
    UNICEF/Syria/2021/Abdulrahman Alkour
    A Department of Health worker distributes COVID-19 awareness brochures during a group awareness session for women in Al-Sanamein city, north of Dara’a, south Syria. “We are working on correcting misconceptions about the vaccine that people hear about from social media or inaccurate resources,” says Dima, responsible for the Communication for Development programme in the Department of Health in Dara’a, south Syria.
    Elder man receiving vaccine
    UNICEF/Syria/2021/Abdulrahman Alkour
    “I’ve heard about the campaign from my doctor, and I approached the centre to get vaccinated. I am an old man and I would want to protect myself from COVID-19,” says Fawaz, 80, as he receives his COVID-19 vaccine jab at a medical centre in Al-Sanamein, north of Dara’a, south Syria.
    Doctor talking to man in clinic
    UNICEF/Syria/2021/Abdulrahman Alkour
    “I encourage all my patients to go to the nearest health centre and get vaccinated,” says Dr. Adnan, a gastroenterologist, while in his private clinic in Al-Sanamein city, north of Dara’a, south Syria. “As doctors, we work hand in hand with health workers to raise the awareness of people about the vaccine,” he adds. UNICEF has supported health workers from the Department of Health in Dara’a to engage with doctors to achieve common public health goals. One of the current pressing health needs is creating a demand for the vaccine as a step toward achieving the safety of everyone from COVID-19.
    Group of health workers walking in streets
    UNICEF/Syria/2021/Abdulrahman Alkour
    Department of Health workers conducting door-to-door visits in a neighbourhood in Al-Sanamein city, north of Dar’a, south Syria, to raise awareness of people in the community about COVID-19 vaccination and encourage them to get vaccinated as part of a UNICEF-supported risk communication and community engagement campaign.
    Health worker talking to women at the hoe door
    UNICEF/Syria/2021/Abdulrahman Alkour
    Department of Health workers conducting door-to-door visits in a neighbourhood in Al-Sanamein city, north of Dar’a, south Syria, to raise awareness of people in the community about COVID-19 vaccination and encourage them to get vaccinated as part of a UNICEF-supported risk communication and community engagement campaign.

    Aiming to encourage some 19,000 people above 18 years of age to approach hospitals and health centres to get vaccinated against COVID-19, more than 100 health workers from the Department of Health (DoH) in Dara’a and 85 health centres across the governorate took part in the campaign. The health workers engaged daily with community leaders, influencers and doctors to get their support on the campaign. Department of Health workers also went on more than 700 house visits, reaching 5,500 people on door-to-door visits and organized group awareness sessions for over 4,200 women to fight the spread of misinformation and relay accurate information about the safety of the vaccine as well as advise on the locations of vaccination centres. By the end of the campaign, in Dara’a governorate, some 14,000 people received their first jab against COVID-19 and over 800 their second.

    Related topics

    Health
    Vaccines
    COVID-19
    Partnerships
    Donors
    Community engagement
    Community health volunteers
    Syrian Arab Republic

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