A Broadcast Journalist with Radio Nigeria Highland FM Jos has cautioned Leaders who are misleading their followers and the general public and discouraging them from receiving the COVID-19 Vaccination when some of them have been vaccinated.

She also expressed her displeasure on how people who have no ideas on certain sensitive and critical issues go about misinforming the public.

She made these known as Guest on KT 103.9 FM Jos during a COVID-19 Vaccine Awareness programme with the topic “the role of the media in increase COVID-19 Vaccines uptake” sponsored by MacArthur Foundation and Centre for Information Technology and Development.

She said religious Leaders and Traditional Rulers who are not public health Experts should concentrate on influencing their followers and subjects positively in line with their doctrine but not mislead or misinform them on issues they are not professionals at.
How did preaching the gospel be it Christianity or Islam becomes Medicine and how did the Traditional Ruler who is not trained becomes a Medical Doctor? She queried.

She charged the public to do away with mistrust, myths and misconceptions against the COVID-19 Vaccines as they are capable of exposing them to the virus which has led to the death of many.
She said no religious ideology should be allowed to dispute the COVID-19 Vaccines that have been scientifically proven globally and accepted to be safe and effective to prevent the virus. She said religious Leaders despite their religious ideologies still visit health facilities for medical attention when they fall sick, this is an indication that science proffers solutions to public health challenges.
“Whether we like it or not, science is here to solve problems, and until we leverage on the science and innovations, we’ll not make any progress” she pointed out.

She said the media has been playing critical roles in educating, informing and enlightening the public through its various platforms whether traditional or social media on the COVID-19 pandemic since it started and on the vaccines.
She hinted that the roles of the media in increasing public awareness on the safety and effectiveness of the COVID-19 Vaccines despite the challenges of fake new and misinformation they are confronted with cannot be overstressed.

“People believe what they hear or see in the media; they take it hook, line and sinker, this is because the media is expected to be well informed and knowledgeable as they don’t just work on their own without the support and input of experts” she said

She charged the traditional and social media to synergize and use their various platforms for the good of humanity especially providing reliable and objective information for public consumption.
“If both the traditional and social media will understand the power and strengths of each other, we will have a better society”

She decried how cultural, religious and other mischief reasons have adversely affected the uptake of the COVID-19 Vaccines.
She said people are easily manipulated by opinion moulders on account of their inability to research wide and fact check to prevent misinformation, making them to become prey in the hands of manipulators and conspiracy theorists.

A caller identified as Pam Dung Kim decried many conspiracy videos of medical Doctors discouraging people from vaccine uptake, a situation he described as worrisome.
Gwamkat said one of the major challenges confronting the media in combating fake news and misinformation is the outcome of fact finding doesn’t go far as the misinformation especially when such misinformation appeals to the sentiments of the receivers.
She said though it is difficult to counter rumours and fake news, the media has continue to collaborate with several platforms to ensure that the right and accurate information about COVID-19 Vaccines are disseminated to the public.
She gave an instance when during the Ebola outbreak in Nigeria, people were misled to consume huge amount of salt and bath with same which caused many deaths especially those who were suffering from High Blood Pressure.
She frowned at the adverse impact of fake news and misleading information which certain media platforms have disseminated to the public.
She admonished the public to always ensure that the information they get are true, accurate, reliable and not misleading.

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COVID-19 Vaccine: Broadcast Journalist, Gwamkat Gwamzhi Urge Leaders Not to Mislead the Public