The FCT Primary Health Care Board (FCTPHCB) has appealed to media organizations to continue to sensitize the general public on the need to get themselves vaccinated against COVID-19.
The Head, Advocacy, Communication and Social Mobilisation, FCTPHCB, Hajiya Nana Yusuf made the appeal during a one day media parley on COVID-19 Mass Vaccination Campaign in Abuja.
The Media Parley was organised by the FCT PHCB in collaboration with Breakthrough Action of Nigeria.
Hajiya Yusuf said the FCT Health Secretariat has created additional free Vaccination Centers, scattered across the nooks and crannies of the six area councils of the territory for residents to access the vaccines with ease within now and December 31st 2021.
She explained that COVID-19 virus is still very much around us, hence the need to get protected with the vaccine, which she described as safe and efficacious.
State Coordinator, Breakthrough Action Nigeria, Mr Eric Yila raised concern over the safety of the general public health, stressing that containing the virus and prevention from COVID-19 requires the support of all.
Mr Yila urged all participants not to get tired of sensitising the public, for the overall good of Nigerians.
On his part, Health Educator FCTPHCB,, Mr Francis Okonkwo called on Nigerians to disregard myths surrounding COVID-19 vaccine, adding that they were all falsehood to frustrate government efforts at safeguarding the public health.
Mr Okwonkwo who maintained that COVID-19 has nothing to do with DNA as being speculated from some quarters, said insecurity, poor funding and various shades of hesitancy among citizens, particularly health workers, were some of the challenges the Board was grappling with.
“The news making round that the messenger RNA technology used in making COVID-19 vaccine is a brand new is not true… that the vaccine was developed and contains controversial substance are all falsehood…that the vaccine has a magnet substance … were all falsehood about the COVID-19 vaccine. Efficacy of the vaccine was tested by NAFDAC ” Okonkwo assured.
He added that the board has enough vaccine to cover all 18 year old and above.
Mr Eze Eze, Head, Media Unit, Breakthrough Action Nigeria (BAN), also used the medium to plead with the participants to use all the channels of communication network to get the right information on COVID-19 Vaccination across to Nigerians.
So far, the total doses received across the six area councils in the 1st and 2nd phases of Astrazeneca and Moderna amounted to 418,372 as at 15th of November 2021.
Remi Johnson/Abuja