From Noah Ocheni, Lokoja
The Chairman of Dekina Local Government Traditional Council in Kogi State, HRM, the Ejeh of Dekina, Dr Usman Obaje, has promised to lead the campaign awareness towards ensuring vaccination of the people in the state.
The Royal father made this pledge when the delegation of a Non Governmental organisation (NGO), the Challenge Parenthood Initiative (CPI), paid him an advocacy visit at his palace in Dekina Local Government Area.
Dr Obaje, who was recently appointed as Kogi state Focal Person on Primary Health Care Service Delivery, by the Sultan of Sokoto, His Eminence, Dr Sa’ad Abubakar, said he will use his office to bring together all traditional rulers in one fold towards spreading the awareness campaign to the people of the state.
The traditional ruler is also the Chairman Kogi state Northern Traditional Ruler Council (NTRC), representing Kogi State, CPI, for taking the bold step in embarking on the advocacy visit in the state.
Speaking earlier, the Executive Director of Challenge Parenthood Initiative, Eunice Agbogun, informed the traditional ruler that the advocacy/awareness campaign, was in partnership with the Centre for Information and Technology, (CITAD), with funding from MacArthur Foundation.
“In the wake of the emergence of the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, Nigeria has begun to see a pandemic of two tracks, where the Delta variant is tearing through unvaccinated populations.”
“Despite the support by the COVAX Facility led by WHO and UNICEF who have so far delivered 3.9 million doses to Nigeria, the country has continued to suffer from the gross inequity in global vaccine access.”
She said the campaign was to enhance awareness of the efficacy of the COVID -19 vaccines and mobilize target communities to increase demand for uptake of the vaccines and also build the capacity of Stakeholders on emerging issues in the fight against COVID 19.
“In the light of Kogi State dynamic effort at curtailing COVID-19 in the state, we are here to discuss strategies to improve the COVID-19 vaccination rate across the state. The current COVID-19 case surge across another part of the country has resulted in the need to encourage citizens of Kogi State to take up responsibilities of adhering to preventive measures aimed at avoiding the spread of COVID-19 from high burden state into Kogi State.”
She, therefore, stressed the need for both State and Non-State actors to provide the needed interventions to promote the uptake of the vaccines in particular.
“We, therefore, urge Your Royal Majesty, to use your good office to provide the necessary support for the campaign across the state. Having understood your position as the Kogi state chairman Northern Traditional Rulers Council, we believe you hold a very key position in the promotion of vaccine uptake.”
According to her, the awareness campaign will involve talk shows and radio jingles.
