By Makutu Manneh
Gambia’s Health Ministry is on the verge of introducing the covid-19 vaccine in The Gambia, this is according to the Director of Education and Health Promotion, Modou Njia.
“We are about to introduce a vaccine (that is the covid-19 vaccine) as a ministry in collaboration with our partners,” Njie said during an orientation with the media on Tuesday January, 19.
He stressed that people might start relaying different misconceptions about the vaccine through rumours to discourage people from using it.
Njia said vaccination is not something new in the Gambia as they have done it on a series of occasions.
He made it clear that anytime the Covid-19 vaccination is available in the Gambia, the ministry will put it to work as it is approved by the WHO.
Nija further said whenever the vaccine is in the country the public will be informed as to when they will start vaccination.
“We need to come out now aggressively because we are seeing an increase in the number of cases,” he said.
Nija said since cases are increasing in the country, they have to strengthen their interventions. He went on to say such could be done by speaking to Gambians in languages they will understand.
He said this can be done through the help of the media. Thus, he implored the media to partner with them and re-strategize how best they can package the information for public consumption.
The Director of education and health promotion commended the media for being so supportive and encouraged them to do more programs on Covid-19 in order to remind and sensitize the public about the disease.
He also urged journalists to be key examples when it comes to adhering to Covid-19 regulations.
“You are being oriented on covid-19 in order to help in changing the people’s concept of covid-19”, he said.
Momodou Gassama, WHO Representative, informed journalists that human lives are precious to be facing deaths caused by Covid-19, as the world clocked 95 million cases.
“We have to work together to know what we have to do to stop the deaths,” Gassama said.
Mr. Gassama said journalists have an important role to play as they disseminate information to the people in order for them to prevent themselves, adding that it is not only doctors who save lives.
