The Solomon Islands Prime Minister has voiced disappointment that many public servants, including front line workers, haven't turned up for the Covid-19 vaccinations.
In the first three days of the vaccination programme, which started last week, just a handful of public service workers are understood to have received the vaccine.
Solomon Islands prime minister Manasseh Sogavare. Photo: SIG News Service
Mannaseh Sogavare said it was extremely disappointing that people in frontline ministries hadn't turned up.
In a national radio address he said that "when you sign up to be a public servant you sign up to serve and to protecty your people and your country".
Sogavare also expressed his disappointment that only 600 Solomon Islanders in total had been vaccinated when the country has 24,000 AstraZeneca vaccine doses available.
His comments echo those of the country's Minister for Health, Culwick Togamana who said frontline health workers who refuse vaccination against Covid-19 should be taken off the frontline.
The Solomons' national vaccination rollout began last week after the arrival of 24,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine, supplied through the Covax facility.
Sogavare was the first to get the jab, followed by other leading officials including the health minister.
Togamana told parliament he was "extremely disappointed" that a number of health workers were hesitant to get vaccinated.
Frontline workers who are not vaccinated, they should be removed from taking up disfela duty, and also disfela special allowance directed by the Public Service, it (should) also be removed from them."
Togama sought to assure the public that the vaccine was safe.
"If the honourable prime minister and also the minister of health, they are not frontline workers, but get the jab, does that not sink in (with people)? Mr Speaker, I'm still speaking here, looking fine, healthy after my first jab, so it is practically safe.
