The Imo state government has on Thursday flagged off a massive Covid 19 vaccination that will cover the entire 27 L GA of the state.
Speaking at the epoch making event, the executive governor of Imo state, Senator Hope Uzodimma, said his administration deemed it fit to partner with foreign agencies to ensure that every Imo citizen takes the vaccine against the dreaded Covid 19 pandemic.
He commended the Federal government, WHO, European Union, UK, US and Ireland for providing the vaccines and urged Imo citizens to avail themselves of the opportunity to protect themselves of the virus,
He disclosed that the introduction of the vaccine into the country and the state contributed in the low death rate experienced in the state during the peak of the disease.
He however frowned at the report that Imo is lacking behind in getting vaccinated because of the limited dose of the available vaccine hence the partnership with other donor agencies to ensure full vaccination of every Imo citizens.
He advised people to disabuse their minds from the erroneous belief that COVID 19 is over and urged them to present themselves to be vaccinated saying that the vaccine is free and safe without any complications and encouraged everyone to take up the vaccine without fear and anxiety.
He said the government will be forced to make it a policy for every appointee of government and Imo workers to present their vaccination cards before been admitted into any government office or establishment.
He also urged Imo citizens to support the government to make Imo healthy for all, particularly the rural areas.
He said an imported mobile clinic fully equipped has been mobilized to different communities for daily vaccination and urged community leaders to take up the challenge to make their community participate fully in the exercise.
The commissioner for health, Dr. Prosper Success Ohayagha stated in his speech that the agenda supersedes the earlier strategies in achieving control.
He said the current 4 percent rate of vaccination in the state is very low and urged all hands to be on deck to abolish all factors driving refusal and hesitancy from masses. He said the available vaccines are Pfizer, moderna and Astrazeneca.
