The Abia State Primary Healthcare Development Agency (ASPHDA) has inaugurated a committee for Crisis Communication Centre to drive the campaign for COVID-19 vaccination in the state.

In a speech at the brief ceremony, Executive Secretary of the agency, Chinagozi Adindu, charged the committee members to take the assignment seriously.

Mr Adindu said the constitution of the committee followed a directive from the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHDA).

He said the objective was to change the negative impression the residents in the state have about the vaccination.

“COVID-19 vaccination had suffered a lot of setbacks because of negative media reports.

It is hoped that the initiative will help to ensure effective implementation of the vaccination,” Mr Adindu said.

He said the initiative would serve as a vehicle to ensure Abians were protected from the pandemic, even down to the grassroots level.

Duties of the committee include assisting in collecting reports and documenting all necessary information, misinformation and rumours about the vaccines.

He said the committee’s terms of reference include promoting behavioural change, debunk misinformation and rumours and stimulate people’s confidence in the vaccines.

Mr Adindu said the state achieved success in the first phase of the vaccination, ranking first in the South-East and seventh in the country. He attributed the feat to the state government’s political will to ensure the exercise succeeded.

He said Abia had received 51,000 doses of Moderna and 6,000 AstraZeneca vaccines for the second phase, which kicked off on August 25 and billed to last for 20 days.

He said that the agency had so far recorded 58 per cent and 40 per cent, respectively, in the utilisation of the AstraZeneca and Moderna vaccines.