By Kenneth Onuoha
A faction of apex Igbo socio cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, has accused some medical personnel of diverting the COVID-19 vaccines meant for innoculation of people to private clinics across the South-east region.
The Chidi Ibeh-led faction said that the reason for the diversion was to sell the Astraveneca vaccine to patients, thereby denying people in the zone the opportunity to receive the vaccine free of charge as arranged by the Federal Government.
A statement issued in Abakaliki, signed by its Secretary General, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, on Monday, March 15, said the organisation was aware of the sabotage and will reveal the perpetrators in due time.
“We are aware of the ongoing sabotage of few scrupulous medical officials in the diversion of COVID-19 vaccines to private hospitals and individuals to be resold to patients.
“There must be strict rules for the COVID-19 vaccine being administered to Ndigbo. Governors must place grave sanctions on erring medical professionals caught in this mischievous acts of sabotage.
“Ohanaeze Ndigbo will continue to monitor the distribution of COVID-19 PPEs to ensure that what is meant for the zone gets to the people”, he stated.
The group further urged Ndigbo to accept the COVID-19 vaccination without any fear or ill feelings about its authenticity.
Isiguzoro described the ongoing panic brewing amongst Nigerians on the authenticity of the COVID-19 vaccine as unnecessary, adding that it needs to be urgently addressed by both federal and state governments.
He urged them to start up a campaign to encourage people from the zone to participate in the COVID-19 vaccine jab, stressing that doing so will help in combating fatality from the virus in the region.
The group also called on Governors from the zone to establish unified communications and protocols to meet the needs of Ndigbo in the process of administering the vaccines.
“Ohanaeze Ndigbo calls on Igbo Governors to establish unified communications and protocols to meet the needs of Ndigbo in the process of administering the covid vaccine programs.
“We urge Ndigbo to accept the COVID-19 vaccine without any fear or ill feelings about authenticity,” he stressed.