From Noah Ocheni, Lokoja
The Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) on Saturday called on stakeholders in the health sector to embark on massive and aggressive sensitization of the public using all media outlets to propagate Covid-19 vaccination.
The Centre made the call in a Communiqué issued at the end of a One-Day Media Influencers and Stakeholders Engagement on Promoting Covid-19 Vaccination on Saturday in Lokoja signed by Ms Yemi Balogun.
The pandemic, according to the communique had remained a global concern since its outbreak in Wuham, China in December, 2019 and has attracted the attention of all stakeholders in the onerous battle to quell it which could be sensitised through media outlets such as the radio, television, Facebook, WhatsApp, including various worship centres.
“One of the efforts in recent times is the discovery of vaccine which according to health experts and researchers, has the capacity to safeguard humanity against the virus.
It held that the essence of the COVID-19 Vaccination campaign project was to promote acceptability and actual uptake of the vaccine in Kogi State, sensitize the public on its efficacy and safety.
The project, according to the Communique, is also to further provide information on how to access the vaccine and build a community of influencers who will amplify and propagate the Covid-19 Vaccination.
The Centre urged religious leaders and other stakeholders and the public to take a bold step towards taking the Covid-19 vaccine saying tha the “vaccine is safe.”
The Communiqué however urged sufficient sensitization of parents on the difference between COVID-19 Vaccine and other vaccinations as most children now run from other immunizations due to misinformation on the Covid-19 vaccines.
The Communiqué said that the stakeholders brainstormed on the best strategies to adopt in reaching the unreached and enriching the reached with adequate, timely and right information on COVID-19 vaccination.
The programme was organised by the centre in collaboration with Yemi Balogun, a Social Media Influencer, with support from MacArthur Foundation under the Equitable Recovery Campaign.
