By Favour O. Usiobaifo
The Management of Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital, Benin City in collaboration with the leadership of Egor Local Government Council has today Tuesday 1st June 2021 flagged off the second dose vaccination exercise against coronavirus disease in Egor Local Government Area, Edo State. Prominent among those present at the flag-off ceremony which held in the Conference Hall of Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital, in Uselu, Benin City were: Dr. Osaheni Igbinigie, Acting Chairman, Egor Local Government Council; Dr. Imafidon O. Agbonile, Medical Director; Mr. Jeremiah Agbidi, Head, Nursing Services department; Princess Oriri Akenzua, Head, Administration department; Pharm. Mary Ibhawoh, Head, Pharmacy department; Mr. Saturday Okolo, Principal, School of Psychiatric Nursing; Dr. Daniel Odekuia, Coordinator, PHC; Mrs. Augusta Osayande, Head, Information (Egor LG); Engr. Edwin Omoregbee, Head, Works (Egor LG); Mr. Cyril Ojieabu, State Technical Facilitator.
Speaking during the flag-off exercise, Dr. Agbonile who was the host welcomed guests and expressed sincere appreciation for the support and cooperation that the hospital has received from Egor Local Government Council over the years and hoped for greater collaborations in the future. He urged all members of staff and all those present to leverage the opportunity to get the second dose of the COVID-19 vaccination so that they could be protected against the terrible pandemic that has befallen the country and the world at large. He noted, “I wish to also use this opportunity to appeal to members of the community, city, and the country in general that, the vaccine is safe and is an essential defense against the pandemic despite the so many different things that we see on social media”. He said that health sector workers should be able to read in-between the lines by reviewing articles and information rather than just quoting anybody verbatim, noting that the recent deaths in India is proof that the virus is real. As he puts it, “we should also look at what is happening in India to know that if the pandemic is not real, why are people dying on the streets and being burnt on the seashore in India. This time last year, India wasn’t in this position, so we should be careful. We shouldn’t wait for calamity before we begin to take steps. Let us take this thing seriously”.
In his address, the Acting Chairman of Egor Local Government Council, Dr. Igbinigie thanked management of the hospital and the attendees for their efforts in implementing and adhering to COVID-19 safety protocol, adding that their presence at the flag-off ceremony is a testimony of their commitment to seeing the end of the pandemic in the society. He stated that, vaccination has been considered as one of the greatest public health achievement and that this is evident in the huge reduction in vaccine preventable disease like COVID-19 in the communities. He thus, gave the assurance that Egor Local Government Council will continue to partner with all stakeholders in the control of diseases like coronavirus. According to him, “as I flag-off this second dose of COVID-19 vaccination campaign exercise today, I want to inform everyone that took the first dose to avail themselves the opportunity by going to the same health facility for their second dose which makes it a full dose of COVID-19 vaccination”. He also however admonished members of the public to continue to adhere to COVID-19 safety protocol for as the saying goes, ‘prevention is better than cure’.
Edo State COVID-19 Technical Facilitator, Mr. Cyril Ojieabu stated that it is necessary to take the second dose as it would boost the immune system against the disease. He urged those who had earlier taken the first dose of the vaccine to go back to the same health facility for their second dose. He, however, noted that anyone could take the second dose of the vaccine in other Local Government Areas or any State of the country with the help of the supersite which helps to detect those that have taken the first dose. Some of the guests who were due for the second dose after taken the first dose took advantage of the opportunity to get the full vaccination.