Mr Jinjiri Garba, Chairman of the Bauchi State Network for Civil Society Organization, has advocated for awareness-raising activities to increase participation in the country’s ongoing COVID-19 vaccination campaign.
Jinjiri told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Bauchi that such sensitization activities would dispel myths and misconceptions about the vaccine and encourage more people to take the vaccine willingly.
“While mandatory COVID-19 vaccination violates citizens’ rights, comprehensive sensitization is the best way to encourage and mobilize people to get vaccinated,” he said.
Mr Danjuma Saleh, Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Bauchi State Council, also spoke and described civil servants as role models in society.
Saleh stated that civil servants had a significant role to play in the fight against the pandemic, and that adequate information would enable them to contribute to a successful disease-fighting campaign.
“The government should step up its awareness campaign to educate civil servants about the disease in order to halt the spread of the pandemic,” he said.
Dr Rilwanu Mohammed, Executive Secretary of the Bauchi State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, stated that the agency had sent 78 personnel to Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to educate civil servants about the vaccine.
“The agency wrote to several MDAs and extended our campaign to their offices.”
“We sensitized them on the first and second doses of the vaccine to ensure that they are up to date on all expert information,” he said.
Muhammad stated that the state had vaccinated a large number of civil servants.