Wife of Ebonyi State Governor Rachel Umahi has called on religious leaders, traditional rulers, and town union presidents to collaborate with other stakeholders to sensitise their people on the need to get covid-19 vaccination.
According to her, the intake of vaccines helps to build the immune system.
Mrs Umahi stated this during the flag off of covid-19 scale 3. 0 vaccination at Ebiaiji, Ezza North Local Government Area headquarters.
The program was organised by the state ministry of health in collaboration with the support from National Primary Health Care Development Agency, WHO, UNICEF, USAID, BA-N.
According to the Commissioner for Health in the State Dr Daniel Umezurike, he alleged the low intake of covid-19 vaccination by Ebonyians was a result of fake speculations that the vaccine kills.
He then urged Ebonyians to disregard all the fake news against covid-19 vaccine maintaining that the vaccine has no side effects.
He said, “The low uptake of Covid 19 vaccine is mainly because of vaccine resistance. They attribute covid19 vaccine to all manner of the problem but it has been tested and it’s safe and effective and free of charge and readily available so I urge our people to go ahead and take the vaccine”.
“If you ask me the reason I will say no one is vaccine resistance, no two vaccine resistance, number three vaccine resistance.
“And it is due to fake rumour and poor sensitization, the information given to people”. He said
Also, the acting State Coordinator of Breakthrough Action Nigeria (BA-N) Mrs Ifeoma Chris-Okeafor, urged the Stakeholders to be committed in sensitizing their people at all levels to ensure that Ebonyi maximizes the opportunity to accelerate the uptake of COVID-19 vaccination and other PHC interventions in the State.
She, however, blamed the low turnout in Ebonyi to misconceptions and poor perceptions around COVID – 19 vaccines at the onset of the virus.
Mrs Chris- Okeafor, then promised that BA-Nigeria would continue to provide support to the State in service communication through intensive demand generation activities, social behavior change communication, and targeted advocacies among other things.
She further disclosed that BA-N is designing training to build their capacity for Interpersonal communication and counseling and empathy around covid-19 vaccines.
Also, the State Coordinator Ebonyi State/ National Professional Officer Tuberculosis, South East Zone World Health Organisation Dr Vivian Chinelo Ibeziako, decried that despite WHO contribution and implementing partners, Ebonyi State has been persistently poor performing among the 36 states of the federation.
“Since the introduction of COVID-19 vaccination, we have played a vital role in coordination, capacity building, supervision, provision of logistics fund and payment of vaccination team and lots more.
“Unfortunately, Ebonyi state has been persistently poor performing among the 36 states of the federation of which the possible causes are lack of accountability framework, the poor commitment by some of the LGA and vaccination team members, lack of motivation due to inadequate stipends, hesitancy among HWs and community members, poor data upload to EMID platform, etc. However, it’s important to note that recently, WHO with the state team utilized the available funds for scale 2.0 to re-strategize the vaccination system to conduct a mini-campaign/intensification leading to an increase in coverage from 4.1 to 5.3.”
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In addition, the State Coordinator national primary health development agency, Mr Julius Nwafor, explained that the first and second phase of the vaccination was successful and enjoined Ezza people, and the entire Ebonyi state to come out and get the vaccination as it is safe.
“Take the first, second dose, and the boost you are covered. Whether you have underlying diseases like diabetes you are safe to take the vaccination,” Nwafor said.
He said NPHCDA is operating in each of the wards and have a medical team that moves around to get people under 18 and above to get vaccinated.
Meanwhile, His Highness Eze Igboke Ewa, in his remarks lauded the state government for the sensitisation and urged the government to make the drugs available assuring that he bring his people to take their vaccines.
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