By joshua 
… Says 646,623 People Vaccinated
The Challenge Parenthood Initiative (CPI) says out of the 2,788,335 population of Kogi State, only 646,623 people have been vaccinated against the Covid-19 pandemic as at November 2022.
The Executive Director CPI, Eunice Abimbola Agbogun made the disclosure in Lokoja at a press conference on enhancing demand creation and uptake of Covid-19 vaccine project in Kogi state executed by CPI in collaboration with Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD), expressed worries that only 23% target eligible population have so far been vaccinated.
At the CPI/CITAD Press Conference on enhancing demand creation and uptake of COVID-19 vaccine project in Kogi State held at the Children Amusement Park, Ms. Agbogun disclosed that data from the Kogi State Primary Health Care Development Agency, showed that the total number of people vaccinated as at November, 2021 was 125,833, noting that the low figure was due to myths and misconceptions that surrounded the vaccine and its effect.
The Executive Director explained that the achieved target is too low when compared to the national average of 65%, hence the State has a lot to do to measure up.
She however added that it took a lot of effort and collaboration of CPI and CITAD through financial support from MacArthur Foundation to embark on sensitization project before the figure for vaccines uptake improved to 646,623 representing 23.2 percent of the population of the state.
“To gain citizens’ trust in the vaccines, CPI collaborated with Kogi State Primary Health Care Development Agency, civil society partners, religious organizations, traditional rulers and media houses to debunk false information and misconceptions about Covid-19 and its vaccine.
“The project also provided capacity building for stakeholders on emerging issues related to Covid-19 vaccines and relevant topics to ensure accurate information is disseminated to the target audience” she said.
Ms. Agbogun therefore appealed to Kogi state government to provide mobility, proper supervision for safe delivery of vaccines to the people living in remote areas to increase the vaccination rate in hard-to-reach communities in the state.
The Executive Director who also solicited for prompt remuneration of health workers involved in Covid-19 vaccine campaign, urged stakeholders to continue to encourage adherence to the health/hygiene guidelines from relevant agencies.
She also urged for the need to sustain the current CPI/CITAD sponsored public education program airing in the indigenous languages as well as funds for Data bundle to enable transmission of information and smooth operation of the State operation room as incentive to enable health workers to acquire suitable mobile devices that operate the OOK Kit (ODK) app smoothly.
Furthermore, prompt remuneration of health workers involved in the COVID-19 vaccine campaign she adds as would encourage health workers and volunteers to actively participate in the exercise.