The Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria (MDCAN), yesterday, called on Nigerians to accept the COVID-19 vaccine when available in the country, saying, “The benefits of the vaccine far outweigh any perceived risks.”
The group said the information available to it showed that the vaccine was safe and that therefore people should not be scared to accept it, explaining that all hands must be on deck to fight against the disease.
In a press briefing in Jos, Professor Ken Ozoilo, the President of MDCAN, said they had observed “with dismay the failure of many Nigerians to adhere to the non-pharmaceutical methods of COVID-19 prevention as espoused by relevant bodies, including the NCDC and the presidential task force.
“This is despite the raging second wave of the disease and the emergence of newer and deadlier strains of the organism with greater infectivity and mortality. We caution all Nigerians to endeavour to comply with all the non-pharmaceutical measures put in place for the prevention of the transmission of the COVID-19 virus, especially as advocated by the Federal Ministry of Health, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and The Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19.”
Prof Ozoilo, however, called on the government to be mindful not to unduly divert attention and resources from other disease conditions, both infectious and non-infectious, afflicting Nigerians.
