Following the widespread misconceptions and campaigns against the Covid-19 vaccine, the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), FCT Chapter, has called on Federal Government through the Ministry of Health and the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) to sensitize Nigerians on the safety of the vaccine.
The Chairperson, NAWOJ FCT, Comrade Annah Daniel, who made the call in a press statement, Sunday in Abuja, commended the Global Access Facility (COVAX) scheme formed to ensure fair access to vaccines for low and middle-income states across the developing world for the 3.9 million doses of the Oxford Astra Zeneca vaccine.
The Association noted that this initiative led by the World Health Organisation (WHO) will ensure that no country is left behind according to the motto of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).”
NAWOJ categorically states that the Nigerian government through the COVID-19 Presidential Task Force (PTF) and its members as the Ministry of Health, its related departments, and agencies must ensure that the distribution and vaccination process is transparent and accountable to the general public to avoid the challenges faced during the distribution of the COVID-19 palliatives which was diverted and hoarded
To this end, therefore, the federal government through the Ministry of health and all its agencies should champion the sensitisation to create more awareness to disabuse the mind of the average Nigerian including market men/women, farmers artisans, students, and civil servants on the safety of the COVID-19 vaccine.
The Association noted that: “Nigeria’s 2021 Budget has large appropriations for the pandemic relief activities. These funds must be judiciously used to avoid leakages and systemic corruption witnessed in similar schemes in the past.
The Chairperson emphasized that the Ministry of Health and NPHCDA need to ensure that representatives of the media and civil society organisations (CSOs) are carried along in the sensitization, awareness creation, and most importantly the distribution and vaccination process.
NAWOJ pledges the support of the Association and its members to ensure a COVID-19 free world, even as it tasked the Federal Government and its agencies to work towards achieving an equal future for the women in a COVID-19 world in line with the theme of the 2021 International Women’s Day.
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