ADVENTISTS IN PORT HARCOURT, JOINS CHORUS OF SUPPORT FOR COVID-19 VACCINATION IN NIGERIA

 

Oftentimes, religious persons have been dispirited from taking the covid-19 inoculation owing to the consistent campaign against the vaccine, expressing doubts about the scientific basis for the pandemic and the vaccines.

Even with high level of education, and orientation by health care workers in various religious powwow, some still feel taking the jab symbolizes receiving the Mark of the Beast declaration of Bible Prophecy in Revelation.

However, at the dawn of the New Year, the Port Harcourt Conference Health Ministries department of the Seventh-day Adventist church, in Partnership with Love Ensemble Music Ministry and the Rivers State Primary Health care management  board(RSPHCMB), set the seal on the COVID-19 vaccinations of some members of the church at the Port Harcourt Conference Headquarters’, Rumuokwuta.

In an interview Mrs. Esther Onouha, Immunization focal person of Igwuruta Primary health center, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, explained that the vaccine is good for humans and dispelled the ham-fisted fear and doubts to the peddled rumours towards its genuineness.

 

“We are here to immunize Adventist and to optimise their immune system against Covid-19. I want to tell people that the vaccine is good and effective, it is not fake as feared by many"

 

She added that: “I want to urge everyone to be vaccinated and to optimise our immunity so that our system can be fit to fight the virus. The way we vaccinate our children against Polio, so is this vaccine prepared for adult from age 18 and above".

 

Recall that the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, NPHCDA, had recently announced during a meeting with the leadership of Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN,in Abuja that COVID-19  vaccinations would be administered in churches during service. The initiative, the agency explained, was aimed at ensuring that more persons receive the vaccinations at their convenience.

The Health Director of the Conference, Dr. Akoko Sokiprim had always adviced church members in his monthly bulletin to take measures that will keep them safe from the hydra headed virus which includes being vaccinated as against Covid-19.

 

“There is a more recent outbreak of COVID-19 that is more contagious. While Hand washing and use of face mask still remains very useful. We also encourage that you get vaccinated as soon as possible."

 

“They are very safe. The Health Department of the church even at highest levels has made clear that appropriate immunization/vaccinations are safe for us and our households”.

 

A-Media PHC team reports that church members who took the shot expressed gratitude for the opportunity to be freely vaccinated, while others encouraged those still immersed in fear to join support for vaccination in Nigeria.

COVID-19 vaccination in Nigeria.

 

Recent data from National Primary Health Development Agency (NPHCDA), posits that out of an estimated 206 million population in Nigeria, only five million have taken the first dose and only two million are fully vaccinated.

 

This is nowhere close to the at least 10 per cent vaccination benchmark for September set by the WHO.

 

Nigeria has received three different vaccines for its population – Oxford AstraZeneca, Moderna, and Johnson and Johnson, with only AstraZeneca, Pfizer and Moderna approved as of the time of filing this report.

According to the Africa CDC vaccination database, Nigeria has received 10,927,520 vaccine supply and administered 6,734,764 doses. Also, by these statistics, Nigeria may also miss the per cent benchmark set for the end of the year 2022.

 

As at Thursday 1 January, The NCDC reported 3,933,209 confirmed samples tested, 25,655 Active cases, bringing the total number of COVID-19 infections to 249,586 with 3,092 deaths.