Medical experts have harped on the need for synergised efforts to identify, counter and dispel myths surrounding vaccinations as part of efforts to reduce vaccine hesitancy in the country.
This was the rallying call at the 2024 Annual General Meeting and Scientific Conference of the Nigerian Medical Association, Oyo state Branch.
The theme of the event, Vaccines: The Facts and Myths; with the subtheme: Combating Vaccine Hesitancy in Clinical and public health settings is aimed at raising public awareness on the effectiveness of vaccines to public health and societal wellness.
The Acting chairman of NMA, Oyo state Branch, Dr Happy Adedapo, who gave the welcome address said the theme was determined in light of the high prevalence of myths and misinformation on vaccines.
“This is in the face of numerous myths and misinformation that surround vaccination. The theme is an opportunity to educate ourselves and the society at large on vaccinations and dispel myths and falsehoods surrounding vaccines.”
He said “the theme is an opportunity to educate ourselves and the society at large on vaccinations and dispel myths and falsehoods surrounding vaccines.
In her remarks, Dr Adeola Fowotade, a clinical virologist from the department of Medical Microbiology, University of Ibadan, decried the low levels of vaccine acceptance in the country.
“We have observed that people are showing apathy to those vaccines. Even adults do not want their children to get vaccinated and even for the adult vaccines, there is very low turnout for taking the vaccines”
She noted that factors behind the low acceptance of vaccines include myths and disinformation about vaccinations.
“People have talked about measles vaccine causing autism, HPV vaccine causing infertility and sexually active when they are not supposed to be or that flu vaccine causes the disease itself.
“These [myths] are not true and the [Nigeria] centre for disease control and the WHO have shown that these vaccines are actually not only safe but that they are effective and able to prevent these infectious diseases”
Dr Fowotade also identified the prevalence of these myths and misconceptions on social media platforms like whatsapp where such falsehoods are easily shared and posted.
“We started noticing that misinformation on social media, especially whatsapp, was fuelling vaccine hesitancy. Religiously targeted false claims that vaccines contain animal products, for muslims it was pork.”
She identified other myths to include the belief that vaccines contain microchips to track people or gather information.
“This myth started after comments by Bill Gates about the digital certificate of vaccines. It is entirely untrue as vaccines do not track people or gather personal information.”
Dr Fowotade called for increased public awareness and the debunking of these myths with evidence.
She urged health workers to highlight success stories by sharing stories of successful vaccination.
Also speaking, Professor David Magbagbeola, the Dean-Elect, Faculty of Public health, University of Ibadan, said the event was organized to sensitize physicians to their role in helping citizens understand the advantages of vaccines.
He stressed that vaccines are safe, effective and free, noting that there are “enough vaccines to reduce the mobility and mortality of common infectious diseases in Nigeria.”
Professor Magbagbeola urged members of the public to take advantage of vaccines available in health facilities across the country.
“In particular, our girls should take advantage of the HPV vaccination available in health centres and that are being brought to schools. It is free and very beneficial.”
Professor Magbagbeola, who described vaccine hesitancy and public refusal of vaccination services as a health danger that transcends borders, highlighted the devastating impact of the Nigeria polio vaccine boycott of 2003.
“The Nigeria polio vaccine refusal/boycott led to a jump from just over two hundred polio cases in 2002 to one thousand one hundred and forty-three cases by 2006. By 2006, this ban would be blamed for at least 1,500 children being paralyzed.”
Earlier, the former commissioner for health in Oyo state, Dr Olabode Ladipo, who noted that vaccine hesitancy was also present amidst health workers, said it was alarming that some health workers were unvaccinated.
He hailed the seminar as a great initiative to drive public awareness on the effectiveness of vaccines.
“I have listened to people tell me conspiracy theories about vaccines. I believe it is good for us to be able to tell people the advantages they get through vaccination.”
Other stakeholders in the health sector who were present at the event include the Chairman of the National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives, Oyo State council, Dr Samuel Oladele Adeyemi, and the president of the Ibadan College of Medicine Alumni Association, ICOMMA, Prof. Emmanuel Otolorin.
The programme continues on 3rd of August, 2024 for the grand finale
