Debate: COVID-19 vaccine and the general population: Addressing access, misinformation and hesitancy

Welcome! You are invited to join a webinar: “COVID-19 vaccine and the general population: Addressing access, misinformation and hesitancy”. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about joining the webinar.

This online debate will be about access, distribution and upholding people’s right of access to information, community engagement and involvement to increase trust in vaccines uptake in a pandemic situation in Sub-Saharan Africa. The debate is also about how science can help in building trust, responsibility and accountability in vaccines, and how messaging— even by the media — about the pandemic is critical to helping people make informed decisions, or choices.

The debate will take place on Zoom on the Oct 28, 2021 02:00 PM Nairobi

Click here is to register 

Our panellists are:

Githinji Gitahi, Group CEO, Amref Health Africa: Githinji Gitahi is the Group CEO of Amref Health Africa, the largest health development international NGO in Africa delivering health access to more than 11 million people in over 35 countries. Dr Gitahi is renown as a leader on the global and regional front with notable achievements including co-chairing the global UHC2030 movement; serving on the newly constituted Commission on African COVID-19 Response; and serving as a member of the Governing Board of Africa CDC among many others. He is a vocal advocate for pro-poor Universal Health Coverage and leads the largest thought leadership convening on the African health agenda.

 

Laura Owings; Journalist: Laura Owings is a freelance journalist and founder of Cape Town-based media agency, Locomedia. With a background in science and international media, she specialises in stories at the intersection of development goals, entrepreneurialism and social justice in developing countries, especially sub-Saharan Africa. She is also an outspoken supporter of diversity in sciences and uplifitng Black African womxn in STEMI. Laura is the past Chair of the Southern African Freelancers Association (SAFREA). She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Microbiology and a Master’s degree in International Journalism & Media.

 

 

Esther Nakazzi, freelance science journalist: Esther Nakkazi is a fastidious and diligent freelance science journalist, a media trainer and the founder of the Health Journalists Network Uganda ( HEJNU). She has made an impressive contribution to the quality and status of science journalism globally. Esther contributes articles to different media outlets around the globe and mentors other science journalists in Africa.

 

 

 

 

 

Dr. Raji Tajudeen: Taj is a Medical Doctor with postgraduate qualifications in Pediatrics and Public Health. He is currently the Head of Public Health Institutes and Research at the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. He coordinates the establishment and strengthening of National Public Health Institutes across the 55 African Union Member States. He oversees the establishment of the five Africa CDC Regional Collaborating Centers in Lusaka, Abuja, Libreville, Nairobi and Cairo. He coordinates the Africa CDC Institute for Workforce Development and the public health research agenda.

Taj heads the healthcare preparedness and countermeasures section of the Africa CCD COVID-19 response. He co-chairs the case management technical working group of the Africa Taskforce on COVID-19.