TLF, UNICEF hold workshop on vaccines hesitancy in Nchiraa

Public Health Officer at Wenchi Municipal Health Directorate George Agyemang has called on religious and opinion leaders including Imams, Chiefs, Assemblymen, women and youth groups to intensify advocacy to erase misinformation, fake news, misconceptions and fears about vaccinations on Covid-19, yellow fever and polio aimed at preventing vaccines hesitancy.

According to the Health Expert, George Agyemang, out of 11,875 population of Nchiraa and a total target of 8,075, only 3,022 people have been vaccinated under Covid-19 uptake, compelling their outfit to scale up education in order to achieve targets.

Speaking at a workshop on Covid-19, yellow fever and polio vaccine confidence at Nchiraa in Bono Region on Tuesday 5 April, 2022 by The Light Foundation in partnership with UNICEF, Public Health Officer at Wenchi Municipal Health Directorate George Agyemang said “Vaccinations on Covid-19, yellow fever, polio are not strange practice but rather it’s to boost anti-bodies and one’s immune systems. Vaccinations may have side effects but it’s temporary and that’s not a problem. It protects one’s immune system to fight diseases”.

Contributing to the debate, Health Promotion Officer of Wenchi Municipal Health Directorate Madam Doris Saah has urged Imams and pastors to use their pulpits to preach against vaccines hesitancy to get their followers to go for vaccinations.

“Let’s trumpet benefits of vaccinations. The whiteman and vaccine manufacturers have no intention to harm Africans through vaccinations. Let’s ignore misinformation about vaccinations”, Doris Saah noted.

On his part, Rev. Israel Bikani of Assemblies of God has promised to use sermon to reach out to church members to make themselves available for ongoing vaccinations.

Meanwhile, Akwamuhene of Nchiraa Nana Baffoe III has “thanked The Light Foundation and UNICEF for holding the workshop and promised to advice Nchiraa residents to intensify uptake of vaccines”.

Assemblyman for Nchiraa Electoral Area Hon. Henry Ameworwor says “it’s important to ensure people go through vaccinations because hesitancy largely endanger the lives of others. If you don’t get vaccinated, you endanger not only yourself but your family, community, friends and love ones”.

The Light Foundation (TLF) has successfully held the workshop on Covid-19, yellow fever and Polio to boost confidence of Nchiraa religious leaders, chiefs and Imams towards vaccination. The workshop held at Peace Villa Hotel on Tuesday April 5, 2022, saw the attendance and participation of Chiefs of Nchiraa, Pentecost & Assemblies of God Pastors, Assemblymen, leaders of Women, youth groups, Chief Imam of Nchiraa.

A team of 4 health personnel from Wenchi Municipal Health Directorate and Nchiraa Health Center took participants through vaccine hesitancy on three diseases. It was an interactive engagement that saw health officers responding to various questions from participants on vaccine hesitancy, misinformation, misconceptions about vaccinations and how to erase fake news and scale up vaccination in Nchiraa.

Source : africaneditors.com