Covid-19: Be Proactive, Ogbuagu Charges African Leaders

Follow us on Social Media

Social sharing

FG Working To Ease Burden Associated With COVID-19 ProtocolsDabiri-Erewa

A Nigerian-American researcher and medical doctor, Onyema Ogbuagu, has stressed the need for African leaders to position themselves to address the health challenges affecting the continent.

Ogbuagu, an Associate Professor of Medicine and Head Researcher on Pfizer’s COVID-19 Vaccine trial at Yale University, USA said the starting point should include, developing and supporting scientists, building research infrastructure and creating enabling environments.

He gave this advice at a virtual lecture series on the topic, ‘COVID-19: Vaccine, Hesitancy, Myths and Reality’, organised by the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) in partnership with Ngex.

Ogbuagu who was one of the researchers who developed the Pfizer and BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine says it “will be the final nail in the coffin” for the virus that has killed over 1.6 million people worldwide.

He also dismissed concerns that the vaccine would alter deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA).

“I think that issue of vaccine hesitancy is not new. It’s been an issue that has played us for a long time. In fact, I think the World Health Organisation (WHO) at some point had listed vaccine hesitancy as one of the greatest threats to global health,” he said.

“I think if we just think about historically the role that vaccine has played, with either eradicating diseases, near eradicating diseases and even the year-to-year advantages, there have always been individuals that have been concerned about what vaccines are and there are a lot of misconceptions around the harms or the potential harms vaccine caused.

“Specifically, for COVID-19 vaccines, I think that one of the concerns has been about the accelerated process or timelines. I want to flag vaccine hesitancy as a serious threat for us. The punchline I would say is that thinking about COVID-19, vaccine would be one of the approaches that really hosts the greatest promise.

“You can wear a mask and maintain social distance; we know how difficult it is to maintain some of that for a long period of time and those don’t really get rid of the disease itself. I think that the vaccine will be the final nail in the coffin for COVID-19. So, we have a solution to the problem; let’s not introduce problem to the solution.

Asked if the vaccine would be taken by pregnant women, the medical doctor said the clinical trial did not include them, but maintained that the vaccine does not cause infertility.


“We did not include pregnant women. We did not include breastfeeding women. We did not include them in this study. We conducted them on non-pregnant women and we were assured of safety,” Ogbuagu said.

The Chairman/CEO, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, in her opening remarks, assured travelling Nigerian citizens that the Federal Government is working round the clock to ease the burden associated with the COVID-19 pandemic protocols for its travelling Diasporans.

She said that with vaccines undergoing clinical trials, travelling Diasporans would soon be relieved with difficulties encountered during screening process once the potency of the vaccines are confirmed.

The NIDCOM boss said the usage of such vaccines will bring an end to the COVID-19 pandemic as well as the stress travellers go through moving from one country to another in ascertaining their status.

Dabiri-Erewa explained that the purpose of the webinar is to let Nigerians in the Diaspora know about the efforts of the Federal Government in mitigating the negative effects of the COVID-19 pandemic especially on her Diasporans.

She reassured all Nigerians living abroad of the readiness of the Federal government to protect the lives of its citizenry irrespective of their status, religion and ethnic background.

Leave your comment on this post

THE ROTTEN FISH: CAN OF WORMS OPENED OF APC & TINUBU'S GOVERNMENT OVER NIGERIA'S ECONOMIC DOWNTURN

WATCH THE CRITICAL ANALYSIS AND KNOW THE RESPONSIBLE PARTIES TO BLAME FOR NIGERIA'S ECONOMIC CHALLENGES, WHILE CITIZENS ENDURE SEVERE HARDSHIPS.

Watch this episode of ISSUES IN THE NEWS on 9News Nigeria featuring Peter Obi's Special Adviser, Dr Katch Ononuju, 9News Nigeria Publisher, Obinna Ejianya and Tinubu Support Group Leader, McHezekiah Eherechi

The economic crisis and hardship in Nigeria are parts of the discussion.


Watch, leave your comments, and share to create more awareness on this issue.


#9NewsNigeria #Nigeria #issuesInTheNews #politics #tinubu THE ROTTEN FISH: CAN OF WORMS OPENED ...
DON'T FORGET TO SUBSCRIBE AND LEAVE YOUR COMMENTS FOR SUBSEQUENT UPDATES
#9newsnigeria #economia #economy #nigeria #government @9newsng
www.9newsng.com

Facebook comment

Click on the link below or Scan the QR Code to join the 9News Nigeria WhatsApp Channel

9News Nigeria Investigative Reports WhatsApp Channel
9News Nigeria Investigative Reports WhatsApp Channel
About Taofeek Olayemi Lawal 205 Articles
Taofeek Olayemi Lawal is a senior correspondent with 9News Nigeria. Reporter for Women Advancement For Economic & Leadership Empowerment Foundation in Africa (WAELE). He has over 10 years experience in journalism and served as Senior Correspondent for LEADERSHIP Newspaper Abuja as well as Champion Newspaper Limited, Lagos. Contact Taofeek Olayemi Lawal by email or phone call. Phone: +234 805 307 4114, 081 0464 0001 Email: sportsesho@yahoo.com

Be the first to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.


*