ASABA/Nigeria: Healthcare providers in Delta State have been charged to be risk communicators and help spread the safety of the Covid-19 Vaccine in the state.
The state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Ononye Moriah Mordi, gave the charge while declaring open a two-day training workshop on Covid-19 vaccination for health workers in the state.
Dr. Ononye, who noted the various campaigns against the Covid-19 vaccine, said that as health workers they should be a voice in demystifying the rumours.
“As health workers, you have a role to play in allaying the fears of your patients. All assumptions, misconceptions and myths about the vaccine can be easily dispelled using scientific facts.”
He said that “the known benefits of COVID-19 vaccinations outweighs the perceived risks. The vaccines do not cause COVID-19 because they do not contain the Coronavirus. Taking the vaccine will protect you and other people, especially those that are at significant risk of severe infections.”
In her opening remarks, the Chairman of the Delta State Primary Health Care Development Agency (DSPHCDA), Dr Isioma Okobah, said that vaccines were the main defence against viruses.
“Vaccines have been proven to be the sure defence against viruses and diseases. Small Pox, guinea worm and most Polio virus have been eliminated through vaccinations.
She conveyed the state governor’s commitment to the success of the vaccination exercise, that ” Come Friday, March 12, 2021, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa will launch the Covid-19 vaccination by being the very first person in the state to be vaccinated. As always the Governor is very interested in primary health care development as well this vaccination exercise and has given approval for all logistics needed for the smooth roll out of the phase 1 of the exercise.”
Dr. Okobah further urged healthcare workers to take advantage of the opportunity provided by the state government to protect themselves and curb the spread of COVID-19 infections in the state.
Lending his voice to the safety of the vaccine, the Executive Director of the agency, Dr. Winful-Orieke Jude, said that there was no difference between the Covid-19 vaccine and other vaccines, being used in preventing diseases.
He said “I understand people’s scepticism about the new vaccine, people are always afraid anything new. Vaccines are meant to safe lives, the Covid-19 vaccine has been approved by WHO, certified by NAFDAC and produced under strict adherence to safety and legal protocols. It does not contain harmful substances or microchips and cannot alter human genetic information (DNA).”
The training is to update participants on the proper handling, storage, distribution, administration and waste management of the Covid-19 vaccine. They are also to be trained on demand generation, mobilising communities for Covid- vaccine, surveillance and management of adverse events following immunization and how to respond to questions and concerns raised by the local populations.
The Executive Secretaries of Local Government Health Authority, Local Immunization Officers, Health Promotion Officers, Diseases Surveillance Notification Officers, Cold Chain Officer, Health management information Officers, Monitoring and Evaluation Officers and State Technical Officers from the 25 LGAs of the state participated in the training.
