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From Sola Ojo, Kaduna
Save the Children International (SCI) in Kaduna has dismissed ‘myths and misconceptions’ surrounding the COVID-19 vaccines, assuring residents that the vaccines are safe.
SCI had organised a one-day health budget town hall meeting on Wednesday with stakeholders from Kaduna zones 2 and 3, aimed at discussing issues around the uptake of the COVID-19 vaccines, community development charter (CDC), annual operational plan (AOP) and 2022 budget especially as it affect the health needs of residents.
Speaking on the sidelines of the multi-stakeholders meeting held at Zakari Isah Memorial Hospital, Magajin Gari, Kaduna North, Advocacy and Campaign Assistant, SCI, Kaduna field office, Amabel Olukotun, said her organisation was interested in prosperous Kaduna State, hence, supporting the stakeholder around CDC and AOP which capture the needs of the communities.
‘We are supporting the CDC and then AOP. We want to see how they can get the needs of their communities as captured in the CDC to be put in the AOP and then being transformed into the 2022 health budget.
‘Beyond this, we also want to see how to promote health-seeking behaviour in these communities and as well clear the myths and misconceptions around COVID-19 and the importance of getting vaccinated because the vaccines have been proven safe.
‘We are also supporting them in health financing, drugs and human resources for health. For example, if they don’t have health workers, it is a priority they can put into their AOP using the existing CDC template in such a way that it will be taking into cognisance even when there is no money to get it done instantly,’ she said.
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A participant and Chairman, Ward Heads, Kaduna South Local Government, Mai Unguwa Sadik Hamza, who said he had gotten his first and second jab of the COVID-19 vaccines, urged Kaduna residents not to take the opportunity for granted.
According to him, ‘I took it upon myself to take the campaign to my people using every available opportunity including mosques and churches. I was among the first people to register and go for the vaccine here in Kaduna State and I can tell you that I am fine.
‘So, I am once again using this platform to tell Nigerians that the vaccine is in their bat interest and they should go for it. In the primary healthcare at Kagoro road in Sabon Gari Kaduna, we have hundreds of people queuing up to get vaccinated which is attributed to my campaign,’ he said.
Earlier, Head of Governance, Coalition of Associations for Leadership, Peace, Empowerment and Development (CALPED), Yusuf Goje said: ‘This zonal town hall meeting brought the stakeholders together to advocate for increased health financing both at the local and state government levels and also to create awareness on the linking CDC with AOP of the health sector to inform and influence the 2022 budget processes.
‘The platform has provided the opportunity for stakeholders to review budget performance which shows that the State has over the years met the Abuja declaration of 15 per cent.
‘However, releases and cash-backing have not met the desired expectations. As a result, stakeholders met and agreed to engage and advocate for not only the sustenance of 15 per cent Abuja declaration but increase in releases and cash backings,’ he said.
