COVID-19: Edo Govt Tasks Residents On Vaccination, Insists on Compliance With Guidelines
The Edo State Government has urged residents to take advantage of the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccination exercise to protect themselves against the pandemic.
Executive Secretary of Edo State Primary Healthcare Development Agency (EDSPHCDA), Dr. Erhabor Julie gave the charge while speaking to participants at a stakeholders’ dialogue meeting on COVID-19 and COVAX vaccination hesitancy in Benin City.
She noted that the state government’s response to the pandemic since the outbreak of the deadly virus in 2020 has been meticulous and targeted at reducing fatalities from the virus.
“Governor Obaseki has done so well for the people of Edo State, especially in the organization of stakeholders to stop the spread of COVID-19,” she said.
The Executive Secretary added that over 33,000 eligible persons in the state have so far been vaccinated in the first phase of vaccination exercise.
On her part, Health Educator with the State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Mrs. Irene Uabor said it was necessary to engage different stakeholders to deepen awareness on the vaccination exercise.
Some stakeholders at the meeting are health educators, media practitioners, religious groups, community mobilization officers from all local government councils in the state, civil society organizations, traditional rulers and the representatives of the World Health Organisation, NCDC and Africa Centre for Disease Control.
Uabor who noted that the vaccination is an important step in the fight against the deadly pandemic, said the stakeholders’ meeting was necessary to address the vaccine hesitancy in the state.
She said the first phase of COVID-19 vaccine roll out was currently ongoing for healthcare workers, frontline workers and strategic leaders in Edo.
“The roll out is in four phases; we are in phase one for healthcare workers, frontline workers and strategic leaders. Phase two is to attend to people from 50 years and above; phase three is for people from 18 to 49 years with co-morbidity and people with underlying illness, while phase four is for the rest of the population that have not been vaccinated.”
“The meeting is to enlighten and educate the people on the positive side of the vaccine so as to encourage more people to embrace the vaccine,” she added.
