By; MOHAMMED KAWU, Bauchi
Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) has called on Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi to hasten putting a stop to “Pay to get Vaccinated” against COVID-19 in the state by providing data and other form of support vaccine administrators in the state
The centre also appealed to state governors concerned to as a matter of urgency work to address the problems it has identified, and urged the public to disregard misconceptions and false narratives around COVID-19 and to get vaccinated
At a press conference in Bauchi Thursday, CITAD similarly wants the state governments examine the vaccination channel in their separate states to have a broader view of the identified problems and deploy the needed mechanisms.
CITAD Program Coordinator for Bauchi, Borno, Plateau, Kogi, Kaduna and Kano states, Hamza Ibrahim at the conference also appealed to State Primary Healthcare Development Agencies in the six states to review their operation manual to ensure proper coordination for effective vaccination exercise.
He explained that the problems the centre identified poses hindrances to the COVID-19 vaccine uptake which has the tendency of reinforcing the misconception and fake news in circulation about the vaccine, thereby sabotaging the efforts geared towards containing the virus and addressing the pandemic in general.
The centre observed with dismay that vaccine administrators demand data payment from people who want to get vaccinated to upload their details on the online national register, as lack of will from top government officials-that further reinforces impression people have on the vaccine.
It also complained on lack of proper coordination in vaccine administration and distribution, absence of vaccination spots at gathering places such as Mosques, churches and banks, vaccination spots mounted at distant locations, lack of support of opinion leaders, and fear of expired vaccines in use.
CITAD observed inaccessibility of the vaccines in rural communities, nonpayment of vaccine administrators’ allowances, closure of some vaccination spots due to nonpayment of vaccine administrators, lack cold storage facilities in remote communities, lack of political will, unavailability of vaccines at some vaccination spots, and circulation false narratives around the vaccine.
Malam Hamza Ibrahim said that CITAD having monitored COVID-19 vaccine administration in the six project states for the last two months, noted with concern that both general and specific issues are hindering uptake of the vaccine thereby further risking the efforts at addressing the pandemic.
Ibrahim described the tendency as unfortunate particularly at a time when new variants of the virus are emerging, while misinformationabout COVID-19 vaccine is still prevalent.
HE regretted that state governments are in some way aiding non acceptance of the vaccine by not fully supporting the vaccination exercise where people who want to be vaccinated are required by the vaccination officials to make payments for their details to be captured and uploaded online on the national register,particularly as its happening in Kogi state.
