COVID-19 PREVENTION: OGSG ADMONISHES NIGERIANS TO GET VACCINATED

COVID-19 PREVENTION: OGSG ADMONISHES NIGERIANS TO GET VACCINATED

Determined to stem the tide of Covid-19 pestilence, Ogun State Government has charged NIgerians to take advantage of the ongoing free vaccination as a preventative measure against possible attack of the virus. 

The  Ogun State  Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Hon. Abdulwaheed  Odusile, gave the charge while delivering his speech at a day media advocacy meeting on covid-19 vaccination uptake at Imowo, Ijebu-Ode.

According to him, the target set by the World Health Organisation (WHO) to stop the spread of the virus, was that 10 per cent of the population of every country would have been vaccinated by September, 2021, hence, several nations of the world including, Nigeria, made this move to actualise the target. 

Odusile lamented however that Nigerians, especially those in the sub-urban and rural areas have not shown sufficient motivation to get vaccinated against the virus, because as of November, 2021, only 2.81 percent of the Nigeria  population of over 200 million had received at least one dose, which according to him, was a far cry from the set goal, in spite of various government's publicity on the availability, effectiveness, and safeness of the vaccines across the country.

He disclosed further that Ogun State, as one of the pilot states for the programme has been up and doing in efforts to scale up demand for the vaccines and make them more accessible by the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), through a  mass vaccination campaign.

Earlier in his welcome address, the Coordinating Director, Ogun State Ministry of Information and Strategy, Mr. Lanre Ogunyinka, enjoined the media personnel to keep playing their advocacy roles on adequate sensitization to the public, saying, the onus is on the media to consistently remain proactive at dishing out to the public, appropriate information.

Also speaking, the don at Mass Communication Department, Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, Abeokuta, Dr. Goke Rauf emphasised the need to understand the Knowledge, Attitude and Practise (KAP) of the people which could jeorpadise the success of the vaccination, stressing the appropriate means of public enlighteniment across the length and breath of the country in order to arouse people's interest.

The Health Educator, Alhaji Elegbede and Dr. Olayinka said it is imperative to know that "no one is safe until everyone is safe", adding that only 944.157 had been vaccinated out of targeted two million people as at November, 2021.

Elegbede emphasized the importance of the media as a powerful tool to mobilize people and make them understand the need for the vaccine and imbibe necessary measures such as, washing of hands, maintaining social distancing, use of nose mask amongst others,  explaining that it is important to take booster, six months after receiving the second dose.

He added that, Ogun State is successful with good members of eligible population receiving the first and second jabs of Astrazeneca covid-19 vaccination.

By 'Tope Bankole

Zonal Information Officer (ZIO)

Ado-Odo/Ota LG

Min. Of Information& Strategy,

Oke- Mosan, Abeokuta,

Ogun State.