By: Nyima Sillah
Gibril Gando Baldeh, a health officer at the `Ministry of Health has said it is compulsory for all those going to perform the hajj to get vaccinated against covid-19.
Speaking to The Voice, he said: “we heard that preparations are going on for those that are going for Hajj so the vaccination certificate is compulsory for everyone going for Hajj to take the vaccine before going for Hajj.”
“That is why under the leadership of the Ministry of Health EPI sees that in The Gambia before the Hajj time, they give chance to everyone to ensure that the vaccine reach out to all the four corners of the country that is the motive of the recent Covid-19 nationwide campaign,” he alerted.
This time around there is nothing like the most vulnerable would be given the priority, instead, it is open to all. All the misinformation regarding the vaccine has vanished because the truth has prevailed and we are going to continue to support,” he assured.
According to him, the importance of the vaccine cannot be overemphasised as it prevents you from the Coronavirus, it can also prevent you from the signs and symptoms of the virus. Also, anyone that has taken this vaccine within The Gambia and abroad, they give a card as a reference and this card now is more important than the passport. Because the card is called (a vaccine pass) if you don’t have it even Guinea-Conakry, Mali they don’t allow you to enter talk less of Saudi Arabia and Europe. So everyone needs to be vaccinated.
Meanwhile, he said since they started the vaccination in the Gambia, two hundred thousand and eighty-eight people have been vaccinated so far and no one among that 200,088 people has ever complained of any issue regarding the vaccine.
He, therefore, urged those who have taken the vaccine to take another injection as it will contribute to helping their body system to become strong and active to fight the virus, adding “Everyone knows that vaccines have contributed immensely towards the eradication of several viruses in The Gambia and therefore I urge the entire public to take the opportunity of this nationwide vaccination campaign seriously and get vaccinated.”
