Public education crucial to coronavirus vaccine implementation – Surgeon

Even before the country welcomes the first batch of the COVID-19 vaccines, there has been call to embark on intensive education in order to prepare the minds of the public in readiness for the vaccine.

For Dr. Carl Nutsugah who is an ENT resident surgeon, in the middle of a pandemic, there is always anxiety and uncertainty which become a fertile ground for several conspiracy theories hence the call to vigorously embark on an education which will erase any fears and doubts in the mind of people concerning the vaccine. A situation he said is not different in this Corona Virus pandemic.

The President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo during his 23rd COVID-19 briefing, has indicated government’s readiness to procure 17 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines by the end of June 2021, stressing that the aim is to vaccinate the entire population with an initial target of 20 million people.

But speaking on Zylofon fm’s morning show the Statecraft, Dr. Carl Nutsugah decried assertions that the covid-19 vaccines could do more harms than good. He said these vaccines as approved by World Health Organization (WHO) have been tried and tested therefore cannot be said to be deadly.

“These are not normal times and there are anxiety and uncertainties so when it gets to this time, the norm and science-supported facts are thrown out of the window. There are a lot of conspiracies and theories hence important for government to engage in multi-centered stakeholder platforms to educate the public” he stressed.

Dr. Carl Nutsugah who is also the founding editor of Vivahealth Magazine has warned that if government fails to rollout strategic communication to prepare the public in wait for the vaccine, the effort will become counterproductive.

"As a country, there are people who hold various views and beliefs that is why government need to take steps to clear all impressions about the vaccines before it arrives," he mentioned.