UNICEF on Wednesday started an eight-week campaign to boost COVID-19 vaccinations in Nigeria, and five other countries in Africa.

Also, the campaign dubbed: “U-Report #GiveItAShot challenge” will focus also on Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Kenya, South Africa, and Zimbabwe.

UNICEF said the first-ever U-Report Challenge which came a week after COVAX delivered its billionth dose in Rwanda, called on all 13.3 million U-Reporters in Africa to help get vaccines to the unvaccinated.

“Through improving access and confidence in COVID-19 vaccines, the #GiveItAShot challenge aims to activate young people in motivating those eligible in their community to get vaccinated,’’ a statement issued in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi read.

U-Report is a messaging tool that empowers young people around the world to engage with and speak out on issues that matter to them.

According to UNICEF, COVID-19 information and advocacy messages have been packaged and disseminated via SMS, Facebook Messenger, and other communication channels.

It said weekly messages would be sent on U-Report to encourage young people to learn about COVID-19 vaccines. They would be engaged in community actions (both online and offline).

It is estimated that about 10 percent of the adult population on the African continent are vaccinated.

The total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Africa reached 10,609,112 as of Tuesday, according to the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC).

It said the death toll across the continent stood at 237,197 and 9,534,559 patients had recovered from the disease so far. 

(Xinhua/NAN)