NPHCDA condemns misinformation about COVID-19 vaccines

The Executive Director, National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Dr. Faisal Shuaib, has condemned the wave of COVID-19 vaccine misinformation and disinformation trending on social media.

READ ALSO: NPHCDA to counter misinformation about Covid-19 vaccination

The NPHCDA boss disclosed this during a press briefing held in Abuja on Tuesday, saying that the claim by some anti-vaccination elements that the COVID-19 vaccine creates a magnetic field around the vaccination site was false.

According to Shuaib, the COVID-19 vaccine does not create any magnetic field on any part of the human body, neither can it cause the body to light an electric bulb.

“As you may already be aware, we are witnessing an increasing wave of COVID-19 misinformation and disinformation that should leave any patriotic Nigerian wondering how long mischief-makers want the world to remain in the battle against the COVID-19 pandemic itself.

“The creativity with which some people misinform others and spread misconceptions about COVID-19 vaccination calls for more deliberate, decisive, and consistent steps to counter as well as provide correct and accurate information that will help more people to make informed decision to get vaccinated against COVID-19.

“It is unfortunate that the right of the public to true and accurate information on matters of collective concern is being threatened by just a few others who are taking advantage of social media to mislead people about their health.

“As the country prepares to receive additional vaccine supply to commence phase two of its strategic vaccination plan, our attention has been drawn to, yet another level of disinformation targeted at discouraging people from seeking vaccination against COVID-19,” he said.

According to him, “The anti-vaccination elements have come up with magnetic conspiracy, in which they claim, and are deceiving people with videos, that COVID-19 vaccine creates a magnetic field around vaccination site and can cause the body to light up an electric bulb.”

Shuaib stated that this breach of the public right to true and accurate information about COVID-19 vaccination is a challenge that should be taken seriously by the media.

“As ridiculous as this and other conspiracy theories are, vulnerable people, believe them and are therefore continuing to take the risk of avoiding COVID-19 vaccination.

“Although the people who are manufacturing conspiracy theories about COVID-19 are in the minority, the virulence of the social media increases their reach.

“For this reason, it has become necessary for us to confront the false theorists if we really want Nigeria and the world to overcome COVID-19 and recover from its adversities.

“At the onset, it was claimed that COVID-19 was introduced to justify developing vaccines that would be used to depopulate Africans. Those who came up with this theory said that anybody who takes the vaccine would die immediately.

“Today, as we all can see, nearly four million doses of the vaccine have been administered in Nigeria and we have not recorded any case of death linked to the vaccination.

“On seeing this reality, the rumour mongers changed their narratives into saying that the vaccines used in Europe and America are not the same as the ones used in Africa.

“Again, as evidence has come to show, it is now clear that the COVID-19 vaccines used in Europe, America and elsewhere in the World are the same used in Nigeria and other countries in Africa.

“The conspiracy theorist went silent about this claim and are now saying that anyone who takes the vaccine will die after two years. Nigerians are predominantly a country of Muslims and Christians.

“We know that these religions are clear that no-one knows the year of the day they will die. So why would we even pay attention to such spurious claims? he said.

MTO/Punch