Poor vaccination rates in Sydney’s south-west has prompted community leaders to put to air messages in Arabic encouraging uptake.

Jim Wilson asked Lakemba MP Jihad Dib to record an impromptu public service announcement, with Belmore GP Dr Jamal Rifi following suit.

“Can I say something Jim? Jihad’s Arabic is very terrible!”

Press PLAY below to hear Jihad Dib and Dr Rifi’s Arabic messages

Only a third of eligible south-west Sydney residents have received a vaccine, and less than half of those have been fully vaccinated.

A local man in his 20s, unvaccinated, is the youngest to die in the outbreak, which Mr Dib will be a wake-up call for the community.

“I need young people to see this and go ‘My goodness, this can happen to me’. This is a person who was not unwell, and it just happened that quickly.”

Press PLAY below to hear the full interviews

Image: Department of Health