The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the National Orientation Agency (NOA) have expressed dismay that only nine per cent of rural dwellers in Enugu have received the COVID-19 vaccine.

They disclosed on Saturday during the 2022 August Women Meeting in some rural areas of Enugu to sensitise women on the need to take the COVID-19 vaccine.

The programme, wholly supported and funded by UNICEF, also partnered Primary Health Care Development Agency (PHCDA), Enugu’s health and information ministries and other implementing partners in the campaign.

Communities visited included St Mark Catholic Church, Mgbowo in Awgu local government area, St Timothy Catholic Church, and Obeagu Ozalla in Nkanu West council. Others were St Luke Anglican Church Ihe Achi in Oji River LGA, St Mary’s Pro-Cathedral, Udi LGA and other LGAs.

UNICEF desk officer in Enugu, Ethel Okoro, said, “They are many, so when we teach them, they can take the message to others in their various communities and homes; they can as well put it in their agenda and practice it.”

Ms Okoro added that the sensitisation would go on across the 17 council areas through UNICEF’s chief orientation mobilisation officers (COMOs) and health educators. They would cover 20 communities each across the 17 LGAs.

She advised Enugu residents to visit any health centre to be vaccinated.

(NAN)