Acceptance, Advocacy, and Perception of Health Care Providers on COVID-19 Vaccine: Comparing Early Stage of COVID-19 Vaccination with Latter Stage in the Eastern Region of Saudi Arabia

Vaccination of healthcare providers has recently gained focused attention of public health officials. As HCPs have direct contact with the population, and HCPs significantly influence the population, this study aimed to compare the acceptance rate, advocacy rate, and beliefs about the COVID-19 vaccine among HCPs in two time periods. In this repeated cross-sectional study, different HCPs were assessed in two periods ten months apart, i.e., November to December 2020 and September to October 2021, which were before and after COVID-19 vaccine approval by authorities. The study was conducted in Qatif Central Hospital, Eastern Region of Saudi Arabia. There were 609 respondents: 236 participants in the first period and 373 participants in the second period. Only 13 participants did not get the COVID-19 vaccine. There was around a 40% difference in the acceptance rate between the two study periods; the latter period was higher at 94.7%. Furthermore, 24.1% was the difference between the willingness to advocate the COVID-19 vaccine for others; the first period had a lower percentage (60.1%). Overall, results of the study showed that vaccine hesitancy, as well as the willingness to advocate for the vaccine, were improved between the pre-vaccine approval period and post-vaccine approval period, showing that the efforts made by the government improved COVID-19 acceptance and advocacy among HCPs. However, vaccine hesitancy is not a new issue, and for a better understanding of HCPs' beliefs, a qualitative study is needed.

[Malaria in Afghanistan]

Malaria is endemic throughout the country at altitudes below 1500 m. The annual number of malaria cases is estimated to be 2-3 million. A total of 395,581 were officially reported in 1999. Plasmodium falciparum is responsible for 11.2% of the total microscopically confirmed cases. Voluntary repatriation for Afghan refugees from Iran has started since April 2000. WHO is negotiating with UNHCR the issue of providing special groups with insecticide-impregnated bednets (ITNs). Malaria control activities during 1999 focused on the better quality of diagnosis and treatment, implementation of selective and sustainable preventive measures, epidemic readiness and response, and a strengthened surveillance system. Community participation was well demonstrated in using bednets and gambusia fish programs. During 1999, the number of PHC structures involved in malaria diagnosis and treatment and recording tripled as compared to those in 1998. A total of 62,507 ITNs were distributed nationwide. Other 39,601 bednets distributed in 1998 were reimpregnated. Urban and periurban malaria control was initiated in two provinces by using larvicides, biological and environmental management methods. A national prevalence survey was conducted in 20 out of 31 provinces of Afghanistan. Malaria Committees were established in the western, northern, and northeastern regions of the country in January-February 2000. The total number of such committees in the country increased to 7. An RBM task force including key stakeholders was set up to initiate the Roll Back Malaria partnership in Afghanistan.