Event held in Splott venue to boost Covid-19 vaccination rates in ethnic minorities
AN initiative to turn the India Centre in Splott into a temporary Covid-19 vaccination centre has been hailed as a success.
Almost 100 people were vaccinated last weekend at the centre by mobile Cardiff and Vale University Health Board (CAVUHB) staff who administered the vaccine for three hours each day.
Following the success of the event organisers are in discussions aimed at holding more vaccination sessions at the centre.
Chair of the British Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (BAPIO) Wales and governor of the India Centre Professor Keshav Singhal said: “The feedback has been extremely positive and everyone praised the professional and calm manner in which the vaccinations were carried out.
“The BAME (Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic) communities found it very helpful to come to a familiar surrounding of a community centre where they were greeted by volunteers who could put them at ease and answer their questions.”
The event was held in order to help alleviate concerns that some people from BAME backgrounds have had about the vaccine.
Llandaff North Councillor Dilwar Ali said: “Opening the India Centre in Splott as a Covid vaccine centre has been a great help for all BAME communities. I would like to thank Professor Keshav and his team and volunteers for their hard work.
“I will be encouraging those who have not had the vaccine to register for the next session.”
The focus on providing vaccines for minority groups follows a report from Public Health Wales on February 18 which showed that inequalities in vaccine coverage particularly affect those with an ethnic minority background.
The report showed that in the over 80s category only 71.5% of those from ethnic minority groups had received the vaccine, while 85.6% from white ethnic groups had received the vaccine in Wales.
In an attempt to combat this CAVUHB also held a focus group today to hear opinions held by those from a minority ethnic background about the Covid-19 vaccine.
The vaccinations at the India Centre were a collaboration between BAPIO and CAVUHB following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the two organisations on 30th January earlier this year.
This type of document shows a formalised partnership and common line of action between the two parties.
BAPIO Wales also hope to hold more vaccination events in the future.
“We are inundated with requests for a further mass vaccination drive. We will be discussing with the CAVUHB to set up some more of these events,” said Professor Singhal.
