By Bisola Adeyemo
The UNICEF country representative in Nigeria, Peter Hawkins, has said that malaria vaccine would be available in the next two years in Nigeria to improve health.
Hawkins stated this at a meeting of the Northern Traditional Leaders Committee (NTLC) on primary health at Sheraton Hotels in Abuja, on Monday.
Quoting from the Quran, he said, “When one saves a life, he saves humanity,” and pleaded with Northern traditional leaders to sensitise people in their communities on the need to be vaccinated.
He stated further that without the assistance of traditional rulers who sensitised the people about the importance of vaccine, Nigeria will not today be polio free.
He assured the traditional leaders that COVID-19 vaccine is safe and effective, adding that the National Primary Health Development Agency (NPHCDA) has put in place mechanism to monitor the adverse effect on those who take the vaccine and there has been no death recorded.blueprint reports.
The UNICEF representative warned that if community leaders don’t take the campaign on the vaccine to the people now, different variance of COVID-19 may come in.
The executive director of the NPHCDA, Dr Faisal Shuaib, who was represented by a director, Dr Usman Adamu, said the agency relies on traditional leaders to mobilise the people to take the vaccine. He said there has been Town Hall meetings held at different zones and urged leaders to ensure that such meetings cascade down to the sub regional level.
Dr Shuaib gave assurance that the agency will continue to strengthen primary health care in the country.