–As EPI Launch Awareness for COVID Vaccination Across Liberia
By Taisiah Merfee
IPNEWS: The Ministry of Health through its Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) on Tuesday launched the National Awareness for the introduction of Pediatric Pfizer COVID-19 Vaccination for children ages 5-11 years at the National Immunization program office in Congo town.
Providing the benefits and objectives of the Awareness the EPI Manager, Adolphus Trokon Clarke said the purpose of the government of Liberia is to ensure all children in Liberia are also protected against the deadly COVID-19 virus.
Clarke told Journalists that the commencement of the nationwide awareness for the introduction of the Pediatric Pfizer vaccine is to increase the uptake of COVID-19 head-humanity and ensure a rollout of the integrated Covid-19 vaccine into the routine immunization system of Liberia by ensuring equitable access to vaccines, the improvement vaccine distribution and supply chain management gear towards strengthening vaccine safety monitoring systems.
Mr. Adolphus T. Clarke stated that the Ministry of Health with the support of the Global Alliance to protect people’s Health by increasing equity in Immunization (GAVI), is intended to increase public awareness of the importance of vaccination and increase vaccination uptake among vulnerable populations that have been historically underserved or marginalized.
He said the process will seek to improve vaccine distribution and supply chain management for vaccine availability across all levels from the urban to the rural and rural to the hard-to-reach areas.
“Increased public awareness of the importance of vaccination through targeted campaigns and education programs, strengthening vaccine safety monitoring systems to ensure that any adverse events are identified and addressed quickly.” Adolphus T. Clarke told reporters.
The young public health scholar stated that as part of the objectives and strategies priorities 2023-2027 Goal SDG- Immunization contribution – 14 to strengthen National
The Immunization Programme for Universal Health Coverage and PHC, will ensure sustained health and equitable immunization coverage at all levels in keeping with the roadmaps GAVI and other global partners such as WHO, and UNICEF, through a commitment and community support for the National Immunization Programme
Clarke: “The EPI will seek to strengthen capacity at all levels to create and manage innovation efficacious and lifesaving Vaccines throughout the life course especially when there is Sustainability of domestic resource mobilization, through PHC/UH Commitment & Demand generation.
Manager Clarke added that the nationwide excise currently being rollout in all parts of the Country, is to ensure citizens’ participation in immunization through vaccine uptake as the Government of Liberia, and its donors partners continued to raise the much-needed resources for the availability of vaccines in Liberia.
Making special remarks, UNICEF Liberia, said it remains committed to the fight against COVID-19 and will work with Liberia and other partners to ensure the safety of the country is maintained.
Evans Lablah, UNICEF Immunization Specialist lauded Liberia for it serious gains in the fight against COVID-19 by evidence of the country being the second highest in COVID-19 vaccination coverage in the West African region. And among 52 countries in the world.
He said UNICEF remains supportive of the work of the EPI programme to ensure the vaccination of all children of Liberia as the best way to contribute to the national development agenda of the country.
For his part, the Head of the National Health Promotion Unit and National Risk Communication Lead, Chester A. Smith, lavished praises on frontline public health practitioners for their sacrifices to ensure Liberia standout among nations of the world for vaccine uptake.
Smith stated that without proper community engagement of the vulnerable population to the Ministry of Health said it was important for this working session to brain Storm on the happening of the Vaccination awareness.
Director Chester Smith encourages Health Promotion Focal persons across the country to remain committed to ensuring the increase in vaccine uptake throughout Liberia.
