By Bashir Bello
In the face of imminent Covid-19 third wave, a Kano based youth group, African Focus For Youth Development, AFFYD has sensitized youths in Kano State against myths and disbelieves surrounding the highly contagious disease.
The group’s Executive Director, Amb. Emmanuel Gabari while speaking during the 3-day sensitization programme said the event was part of its effort to lend it voice to the fight against the pandemic in order to avert it spread.
Gabari decried the myths, disbelieve and conspiracy surrounding the pandemic among nigerians particularly the youths.
He said, “We know that a lot of people have heard about Covid-19 but with the Delta Variant of covid-19 we felt we should lend our voice to issues of young people to sensitize them against the myths, disbelieve and conspiracy. Although, it is not new as we had same around the girl child education and polio vaccination.
“It is worrisome that when you go round town and urban, many people still don’t believe there is Covid-19, people say the government is using the pandemic to make money. Some say we have not seen any victim of covid-19.
“Again, before now, it is said that Covid-19 was only for the elderly, but with the new variant, young people are affected.
“So the point is for us to be able to enlighten people and dispel that rumour and myths to let them know Covid-19 is real. We need to sensitize to be conscious.
“Similarly, the youths will also be trained on how to use social media to dispel rumours. Because social media is also where some of these fake informations spread. With the training, they can track such information whether they are correct or not. If we are able to catch the young people, they will go back to step down the information to their peer groups and parents,” Gabari said.
Meanwhile, the sensitization programme organized with support from ConnexUs was tagged “Covid-19 awareness and safety measures.”
The event had in attendance youths from Non-Governmental Organizations, Persons With Disability, Albinism, National Youth Service Corps, among others drawn from 15 local government areas of the state.