Media Influencer, Comrade Friday Bako in partnership with MacArthur Foundation and the Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) has continued with the Covid-19 Vaccine Safety & Effectiveness awareness campaign by holding another townhall sensitization in Plateau South.
The town hall meeting was held with Youth influencers in Shendam, on Wednesday 10th August, with over 50 youths drawn from Quanpan, Langtang South, Langtang North, Wase, Mikang and Shendam Local Government of Plateau State.
Monitoring Assistant, CITAD/MacArthur Foundation COVID-19 Vaccine Public Awareness Project, Mr Alex Audu Yibeikas, Sankra emphasized the need for continuous sensitization due to the overload of information most of which tends to mislead and has affected the way people react to the Covid-19 virus and Vaccination.
Mr Alex stated that only science backed up by verifiable data when properly channeled through engagements like the town hall, can help dispel fake news, rumors and misinformation and thereby provide for adequate information about healthcare. He noted that people when properly informed, can then in turn engage others to share such information.
“It is very important to continuously engage people especially as it concerns general public health, people should be taught how to take care of their own health, how to prevent contracting certain diseases or viruses and the importance of medication and vaccines because it means the general well being of the public” He further stated
In his remarks, Public Health Policy Manager, Consultant Pathologist Bingham University Teaching Hospital, and Financial Secretary, NMA Plateau State Chapter, Dr Mbwas Mashor, said that diseases and viruses such as Covid-19 which at a point grounded global activities, economy and world Governments needed to be addressed immediately given the production and approval of Vaccines to enable the world come back to normal.
He called for a general acceptance of the vaccine so as to build ‘herd immunity’ also known as ‘population immunity’, which is the indirect protection from an infectious disease that happens when a population is immune either through vaccination or immunity developed through the previous infection. he stated that the WHO, FDA and other responsible bodies have okayed the vaccines which will support achieving ‘herd immunity’ through vaccination, not by allowing disease to spread through any segment of the population, as this would result in unnecessary cases and deaths.
Dr Mbwas further stated that If only a few people get the vaccine, the virus will now multiply amongst those that did not get the vaccine and will constitute a nuisance and become a problem and disease to the people, that is why it is important for everyone to get the vaccine so that we will develop a higher immunity so the virus will have no individual left to multiply.
“We need a higher percentage of the population to take the vaccine so that it can be effective amongst the total population.” He said
Participants at the town hall acknowledge that the meeting has further deepened their knowledge on Vaccine Safety and efficacy, as they will now act as ambassadors that will talk to others about the safety and effectiveness of the covid-19 Vaccines so as to increase the vaccine uptake.
Comr Friday Bako, Implementing Partner of CITAD/MacArthur Foundation COVID-19 Vaccine Public Awareness Project, went on to encourage participants to become ambassadors by not only getting vaccinated but also reaching out to peers, and family members, and the general public on Covid-19 Vaccine Safety & Effectiveness.
