The Community Mobilization Department of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) and the Mother United and Mobilized (MUM) – a Coalition of Nigerian women in Nigeria and the Diaspora have formed a synergy toward scaling up the laudable efforts against the Covid-19 epidemic through sensitization campaigns to be implemented by the members of the Coalition, in their various capacities as women, heads of medical, legal, Faith-based and training institutions.
This important collaboration was declared at a recent meeting held via Zoom on the 6th of August, 2021 which had in attendance 64 participants from all over Nigeria, The United States, United Kingdom and South Africa.
According to the Convener of the Meeting, Dr Boluwaji Onabolu while sharing the aim and objectives of the meeting said the meeting has become imperative to help Nigerians make informed decisions about the Covid-19 vaccination and to be guided by the factual answers received during the sensitization.
“This meeting has become crucial at a time like this when Covid pandemic is ravaging the world, and it behoves on us as a people to help prioritize sensitization particularly as regards to Covid 19 Vaccination and to be able counter several disinformation and misinformation everywhere around it” she said.
Chairperson of the Meeting, Dr Nnenna Onwu, representing the Executive Director of NPHCDA, Dr Faisal Shuaib in her remarks said the meeting would create opportunities for some questions around Covid 19 vaccination to be answered as this would help to allay all forms of fears and falsehood around it.
“It is important we, NPHCDA as the Government Agency, leading the awareness raising and the management of the Covid-19 vaccine program to collaborate with Civil society for the effectively sensentization”
The resource persons at the meeting were Dr Eunice Damisa, Director Community Mobilization and Dr Usman Adam, Director, Community Health Services who both shared vital information on why everyone should be vaccinated.
In their presentations, the Directors, Ms. Eunice Damisa and Dr Usman Adam clarified concerns raised around vaccine hesitancy, misinformation and conspiracy theories, adverse reactions, eligibility.
They also gave information about the next phase of the covid-19 vaccinations and the importance of partnering with Civil Society Groups such as MUM in the fight against the pandemic. While the participants gave feedback about the need for long term research and continued engagement.
The meeting ended with both bodies agreeing that NPHCDA would set up a joint platform for the Agency and MUM for the purpose of accessing communication material, latest information from the Agency as well as provision of feedback by MUMs to the Agency.