Bauchi State Primary Healthcare Development Agency has constituted a 27-member Crisis Communication Center to mobilise participation in the state’s COVID-19 vaccination exercise.

The Executive Chairman of the agency, Rilwanu Mohammed, stated this at a one-day meeting of the committee on Saturday in Bauchi.

“The CRICC teams are expected to sensitise the residents and generate demand for the COVID-19 vaccine.

“The exercise will be supported by USAID-Breakthrough Nigeria (BA-N), to create demand and mobilise participation in the ongoing COVID-19 vaccination,” Mr Mohammed said.

He said the healthcare agency plans to establish similar committees across the 20 local government areas of the state to deal with myths and misconceptions about the vaccine and encourage vaccine uptake at the grassroots.

Mr Mohammed also noted that the committees would be exposed to risk communication strategies, data collection and analysis to enhance awareness creation activities at the grassroots.

“After the inauguration of the committees, a work plan will be developed to guide its activities. It will be a formal basis for feedback and coordination from ward to state and national level,” he said.

Also speaking, Mohammed Ribadu, the State Health Educator, said that the terms of reference of the committees had been formulated under the guidelines by the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency.

The members of the state CRICC committee were drawn from representatives of the health sector, media organisations, development organisations, religious and community leaders.

(NAN)