JOHESU calls on health workers, Nigerians to take AstraZeneca vaccine, disregard misconception

The Chairman, Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU), Comrade Biobelemoye Joy Josiah, has called on all health workers in the country and Nigerians to disregard the misconception about the AstraZeneca Vaccine and make themselves available for vaccination against COVID-19.

Biobelemoye, who is also the president of Medical and Health Workers’ Union of Nigeria (MHWUN), also assured Nigerians and all medical workers that the AstraZeneca vaccine is very safe.

As fronline workers in the medical field and especially in the fight against the virus, he pointed out that the only assured and available way of protecting them in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic was vaccination.

The JUSUN Chairman, who was speaking to journalists at the MHWUN headquarters in Abuja after taken his first jab along with some of his members, said the health workers need all protection.

“Having lost many personnel across the world, the health workers need to protect themselves by getting vaccinated, since they are the all important soldiers to winning the fight against the pandemic,” he said.

According to him, “I have just taken by jab of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine and I feel good. Certainly I have come to take this to tell all health workers especially members of JOHESU that it is not harmful to anybody.

“Initially the fear was the vaccine was made specifically to depopulate Africa and all other conspiracy theories. But we are witnesses to the fact that the Europeans have used themselves as the guinea pig so what’s the reason for fear. We should come out and take the first and second jab so we can be 100 per cent clear.

“We are health workers, we are science based people so we also know and we have been interacting with our counterparts elsewhere in the world. I want to appeal to all Nigerians that is having any negativity thought or fear against the vaccine should not. Obviously, nearly one million Americans will not be lining up to take the vaccine if it is dangerous to health.”

He added: “I know there are grievances that from the onset of Covid-19 majority of our members were discriminated against that they are not health workers and today vaccines came and they said we are health workers.

“But the bottom line is, even if we have to agitate we need to be alive. So am calling on everybody and I have sent advisories and been talking to our people and I think the anger is being doused and I believe with them seeing me taking this, I am sure and know health workers are not too skeptical taking this conspiracy theories that are bound.

“We have millions of health workers across all levels; federal, state and primary level and they all need to be protected so they can go out and attend to the Nigerian population.”

Also, the Director of Advocacy and Communication for Covid-19 Vaccine, National Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Eunice Damisah, said: “Nigerians have embraced the vaccine though like every other society/country, there are few skeptics but the more we vaccinate the more people have come out to demand for the vaccine.

“The vaccine is very safe. It is approved by WHO the global authority of health and NAFDAC which is our regulatory agency has certified the vaccine safe for use. So there is no reason for anyone to be scared, the vaccine is very safe.

“The government has laid down a plan to vaccinate 70% of the eligible population to ensure herd immunity. All eligible Nigerians; 18 years and above should access the vaccination sites when it is their turn to be protected.”

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