By Patrick Ochei
The Nigerian Red Cross Society, in collaboration with the Delta State Primary Health Care Development Agency (DSPHCDA), have paid a courtesy visit on the leadership of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in the State, to solicit their partnership towards creating awareness on the Resurgence of Covid-19 pandemic and the need for vaccination.
The head of the team, Mr. Charles Arinomor of the Scale 3.0 Sensitization (Covid-19), affirmed that by statistics, Delta State is one of the least States that are not fully vaccinated, advising that all and sundry should take advantage of the new surge of the virus to get vaccinated.
Speaking on the role of the Nigerian Red Cross Society in ensuring the scale up of the uptake of the Covid-19 vaccine, Mr. Arinomor said, the Nigerian Red Cross Society was able to access funding to create awareness on Covid-19 vaccine, and therefore, decided to collaborate with the Delta State Primary Healthcare Development Agency for effective mobilization of the people to get vaccinated.
He maintained that the media remains a veritable instrument in the strategy to disseminate and properly manage the information regarding Covid-19 and global health policy on vaccination; adding that the people should be aware that Covid-19 has not left the world but in fact has surged up again.
Arinomor said, as a result of this concern by the Nigerian Red Cross Society to embark on this sensitization, the NUJ was made a focal point to visit in order to seek possible partnership in reaching out to the larger audience of Deltans in the interest of public health and safety.
According to him, “We have implicit confidence in the NUJ to help us drive this awareness campaign through publicity, and that is why we have come. Deltans need to vaccinate, they shouldn’t entertain the fears again that the vaccine is unsafe for humans. It is perfectly safe. We need to hurry up and vaccinate now that the surge is coming up again.
“NUJ is one of our targeted advocacy points in reaching our stakeholders. We are working towards one goal – to save the greater number of human population from getting infected and dying of the virus. Our job is working in the humanitarian space to achieve safety and security of health for humanity”, Arinomor said.
Speaking on behalf of the Delta State Primary Health Care Development Agency, Mrs. Naomi Ogbakpah solicited the support of the NUJ to achieve the awareness needed to save humanity from the pessimism associated with Covid-19 through concerted effort to get vaccinated.
She narrated how her Agency had been engaging the students in Delta through sensitization on the dangers of Covid-19 and the need to take the vaccine, appealing to the NUJ to help give it the desired publicity for the work to become effectual.
Responding to their submissions, the NUJ Chairman, Comrade Michael Ikeogwu assured them that the partnership they seek was possible if they constantly get the NUJ involved in their activities and programmes.
Ikeogwu called on Deltans to make out time to vaccinate, commending the two groups for the visit and advising on hosting some of their programmes at the Press Centre, which he said would enhance the partnership they had proposed.
He said, “Covid-19 is not a fluke, I used to believe it to be so, but I have come to know now that it is real. I had the premonition it was political, but from all indices, it’s not.
“We will work together going forward; your visit is well cherished. Just ensure that you regularly get us involved in your activities and be rest assured that your desires as far as the media is concerned will be taken care of”, he affirmed.
The International Committee of the Red Cross came into existence in 1863 in Geneva, to help advance humanitarian supports to vulnerable people of the world and stand in the gap for succour in times of humanitarian crisis and wartime. It is founded on the principles of humanity, impartiality, neutrality, independence, voluntary services, unity and universality for the benefit of the entire human race.
Other members of the two bodies that visited included, Perpetua Igbobah, Oduah Joseph, Ashiedu Peter, Alidunkwu Ikechukwu Scott and Alimasunya Julius.
