Comrade Friday Bako has urged that going into the Newyear 2023, It is essential for citizens to stay safe, make their health a priority, and most importantly get the right doses of the Covid-19 vaccine for overall safety.
Media Influencer and Implementing Partner of CITAD/MacArthur Foundation COVID-19 Vaccine Public Awareness Project, Comrade Friday Bako made this assertion while hosting a COVID-19 Vaccine Public Awareness for youth influencers in Jos North and Jos south at greatlinks event center on Saturday 31st December 2022.
The townhall has been part of project activities for sensitization on Covid-19 Vaccine Safety & Effectiveness in Plateau state by Comrade Friday Bako supported by MacArthur Foundation and the Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) has continued to yield positive with various meetings held across all the senatorial districts in Plateau state.
“MacArthur Foundation and the Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) have been doing a whole lot in terms of public health concerns and also making sure that there is transparency and accountability globally.
“The Townhall meeting amongst other activities on the project has enabled us to raise ambassadors as influencers from their various communities we have carefully selected them, we want to see them going back to their communities to talk to people concerning the vaccine so that we will have an increase in vaccine uptake in the state and also the acceptability of the vaccines in the state.”
“We will continue to engage them to get reliable feedback and see how they engage with their community to ensure a wide level of acceptability of the vaccine in Plateau state.” He said
Mr. Tobias Choji, Chief Medical Laboratory Scientist at National Veterinary Research Institute (NVRI) Vom Plateau State delivered a Presentation on COVID-19 Vaccine Safety & Effectiveness, as he urged youth influencers not to overlook issues that have to do with their health.
He said that the Covid-19 Vaccines have been certified safe globally because it has passed through the different stages of a clinical trial, therefore the vaccine’s efficacy, and safety effectiveness is known before being sent to the public for general administration.
Mr. Tobias urged citizens going into the Newyear 2023 to begin to take the messages about vaccine safety and effectiveness seriously as the Covid-19 Variant is not relenting with a new surge reported in China on the 23rd of December with about 3761 cases reported.
In his remarks, the monitoring Assistant, CITAD/MacArthur Foundation COVID-19 Vaccine Public Awareness Project, Mr Alex Audu Yibeikas (Sankara), emphasized the need for continuous sensitization due to the importance of the overall health of the citizens as it concerns 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 adequate information about healthcare. He acknowledged and thanked the various partners for their commitment to creating avenues for such engagement.
Participants at the town hall acknowledge that the meeting has further deepened their knowledge of Vaccine Safety and efficacy, as they will now act as ambassadors and talk to others about the safety and effectiveness of the covid-19 Vaccines so as to increase vaccine uptake.
Nigeria Star News 