Assessment of COVID-19 Vaccination Uptake Among Healthcare Workers in Garowe, Puntland State, Somalia

The emergence of SARS-CoV-2 led to a global crisis, prompting the development of COVID-19 vaccines. While initial vaccine candidates received WHO approval, vaccine acceptance varied globally. In Somalia, healthcare workers' acceptance remained unexplored. This study aimed to assess vaccination uptake among healthcare workers in Garowe, Puntland State, Somalia. This study employed a cross-sectional design to assess COVID-19 vaccination uptake among healthcare workers in Garowe, Puntland State, Somalia. Conducted over six months in Garowe City, the study included physicians, nurses, midwives, pharmacists, and lab technicians from public andprivate hospitals. Employing a multi-stage randomized sampling technique, data was collected via structured questionnaires and analyzed using SPSS version 22.0. The analysis included descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and logistic regression. Factors like age [χ2=0.398], sex [χ2=2.162], marital status[χ2=0.487], and living status [χ2=0.170] displayed no significant association [p>0.05] with vaccination status. However, education [χ2=7.435*], knowledge about vaccine efficacy against different variants of covid-19 [χ2=12.704*], vaccine administration to individuals with health conditions[χ2=6.472*], understanding of vaccine mechanisms [χ2=7.584*], perceived effectiveness[χ2=64.872*], and concern about adverse effects[χ2=9.145*] are significantlyassociated [p<0.05] with vaccination status. Notably, despite initial significance, adjusted models showed varying associations. This research highlighted nuanced factors influencing vaccination uptake among healthcare workers. Demographics did not directly affect vaccination status, emphasizing the importance of awareness, confidence, and specific vaccine knowledge. Tailorededucational programs and targeted interventions could enhance vaccine acceptance among healthcare professionals, necessitating ongoing monitoring and adaptation of strategies.