Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- The Service for Sanitary and Epidemiological Wellbeing and Public Health, together with UNICEF, WHO and the Yuksalish National Movement, began to conduct public dialogues on vaccination against COVID-19, which is an important step in eliminating fears and combating disinformation among the communities in the country.

Dialogues with communities are preceded by consultations with mahalla leaders and representatives of women, youth and religious leaders from all regions of Uzbekistan.

“At a time when the Government is introducing vaccination against COVID-19 in Uzbekistan, the participation of local communities in promoting vaccination is playing an important role,” said Bakhodir Yusupaliev, head of the Sanitary and Epidemiological Welfare and Public Health Service. "The dialogue will serve as a platform for local leaders to voice community concerns and make suggestions to address public hesitation about vaccination."

The first series of public dialogues started yesterday in the Jizzakh region. Such events will reach local leaders and influencers in all regions.

“As the government and the international community provide vaccines to combat COVID-19, it is equally important that communities are mobilized to receive vaccines, addressing their fears and hesitations about the vaccine,” said UNICEF Uzbekistan Country Manager Munir Mammadzade ... “We are now at the epicenter of two pandemics: the COVID-19 pandemic and an infodemic due to misinformation, conspiracies and inaccuracies related to the virus itself. Dialogue with communities is ethical and will build confidence in vaccination.”

Community dialogues are led by Ministry of Health immunization experts and seek to consult with communities to address concerns and concerns of communities regarding COVID-19 vaccination.

“Pandemic and vaccination worries every citizen of the country, so it is important to involve all segments of the population in the decision-making process to ensure their inclusiveness,” said Bobur Bekmurodov, chairman of the Yuksalish National Movement.

While Uzbekistan, like the rest of the world, is struggling with the third wave of the pandemic, there is a problem of myths and misinformation about vaccination against COVID-19.