Interfaith Dialogue Forum for Peace Leaders of Nigeria Lead Vaccination Campaign
Supported by KAICIID, the information and vaccination promotion campaign is being administered by the Interfaith Dialogue Forum for Peace of Nigeria (IDFP) in partnership with the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) and State Primary Healthcare Agencies. IDFP is an interfaith and intercultural dialogue platform made up of high-level Christian and Muslim leaders across Nigeria.
Administering Vaccines in Rural Nigeria by Interfaith Dialogue Leaders
The second phase focused on administering vaccines in Abia, Bayelsa, Oyo, Kebbi, Sokoto, Zamfara, Nassarawa, Yobe, and Bauchi States. This time, IDFP targeted areas where myths surrounding the vaccine led to slowing down its rollout, putting millions of people in danger of contracting the virus.
Despite efforts put in place by the States and the Federal Government of Nigeria, many people were not properly informed about the pandemic and the vaccine, he said. This included religious and traditional leaders who feared the vaccine might be another means of oppression or a tool of the state to strip them of freedom.
And so, key to this phase’s favorable results, Rev. Peter said, was holding town hall meetings with important community stakeholders, specifically religious and traditional leaders. Utilising sacred scriptures and local traditional knowledge, campaign leaders aimed to convince them of the importance of the vaccine and so that they in turn would deliver the message to their followers.
The success was overwhelming, said Rev. Peter. “Some were even vaccinated on the site when they understood the need for the vaccine,” he said. Such was the case with the man in the image above.
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