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COVID-19 : AstraZeneca vaccine, Benefit Outweighs Its Risks-Africa CDC

Published

5 years ago

March 25, 2021

Joel Ajayi

The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention has revealed that the benefits accruable from the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines continue to outweigh its risks, as more Africans show readiness to take the vaccines.

Recently, COVAX rolled out AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines for 13 African countries, with 29,288, 960 million doses allocated, and as at time of filing this report, 8,696,960million doses have been received so far.

As at 15^th March, 2021, COVAX has distributed the vaccines to 13 African countries which include, Angola, Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Eswatini, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Gambia, Togo and Uganda.

It will be recalled that the law of resistance took its course when AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine was first rolled out, as there are various myths on COVID-19 vaccines that have been widely spread and accepted to be true. The prevalence of these myths further pushed doubts about the vaccine and reduced willingness to receive the vaccine.

But today, through the awareness and aggressive campaign of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, the tension is gradually nosediving as more Africans are willing and ready to receive the vaccine.

Meanwhile, as at Wednesday 24th of March 2021, when this report was filed, the total case of Covid-19 in Africa stand at 4, 123 632 million, with total recoveries of 3,690, 718 while total death stands at 110,164.

In a webinar meeting hosted by the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, public strategy firm, Gatefield, and the Global Health Advocacy Incubator, journalists were engaged on the issue of COVID-19 vaccines safety, effectiveness, and distribution, on Wednesday, across the African countries tagged: “Effective Reporting on COVID-19 Vaccines.”

The findings from across the continent revealed that, two-thirds of citizens interviewed expressed willingness to accept the COVID-19 vaccines though, sentiment has varied across the continent.

In the 19 member countries surveyed, 91% of the people surveyed in Morocco were most interested in receiving the vaccines while Tunisia and Cameroon had the lowest number of people, at 35%.

The report equally disclosed the levels of acceptability in other countries as follows; South Africa (61%), Zimbabwe (61%), Zambia (53%), Mozambique (75%), Egypt (78%), and the Democratic Republic of Congo (52%).

This was revealed as part of the findings of a report released by the Partnership for Evidence-Based Response to Covid-19 (PERC) Consortium. The consortium is made up of public health organizations such as the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention; Resolve to Save Lives, an initiative of Vital Strategies; the World Health Organization; the UK Public Health Rapid Support Team; the World Economic Forum and private sector firms such as the market research company, Ipsos.

The new briefs (part of the third series of data collection and analysis from PERC) combined results from phone surveys on the impact of public health and social measures (PHSMs) with information on epidemiological trends, media monitoring, and data on population mobility.

While speaking during the webinar, the Nigeria Country Representative of Resolve to Save Lives, Dr. Emmanuel Agogo, outlined the reasons for vaccine hesitancy identified in the research.

He also urged the media to take responsibility for enlightening audiences.

According to him, Journalists can inform and increase public confidence in vaccines.

He charged journalists not to be sensational in reporting on vaccines since many myths are perpetuated, they should instead, distribute reliable and accurate information; “Media should do research, check the facts and use trusted sources of information.”

In the presentation, the Africa CDC recommended that African countries should continue the rollout of the vaccine.

On his own, the African Taskforce for Coronavirus (AFTCOR) Dr. Ouma said, with ongoing finding and evidence-based information, benefits of the vaccines outweigh its risks.

An expert panel of Journalists including Hopewell Chin’ono, an award-winning investigative Journalist from Zimbabwe; Dr. Laz Ude Eze, AIT television host; Tanya Farber, senior science reporter, Sunday Times; Vuyo Mkize, health writer, City Press; and Elizabeth Merab, health and science journalist, Nation Media Group, shared their experiences covering vaccines at the event and advocated for more responsible reporting on the subject.

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Daughters of Dr. Charles Ononiwu, Chiamanda and Chiamaka, Launch Debut Books to Uplift Hearts Facing Life’s Struggles

Published

3 weeks ago

October 10, 2025

The Gleamer

Joel Ajayi

At just 18 and 20 years old, Chiamanda and Chiamaka Ononiwu — daughters of renowned Nigerian surgeon Dr. Charles Ononiwu — have achieved a remarkable milestone with the release of their debut inspirational books, Do Not Be Afraid and Waterfalls.

Their literary journey began six years ago, during the height of the global COVID-19 pandemic. While the world was engulfed in fear and uncertainty, the then 13- and 15-year-old sisters turned inward, using writing as an outlet to process their emotions, express their faith, and reach out to others with messages of hope and resilience.

What began as a quiet act of creativity blossomed into two powerful books that now serve as beacons of light for readers navigating life’s storms.

Eighteen-year-old Chiamanda Ononiwu is the author of Do Not Be Afraid. A passionate Electrical Engineering student , she is also a proud alumna of Intellichild TLC and Valedictorian of Great Blessings School, Class of 2022.

In her book, she addresses the emotional challenges many young people face and draws from her personal faith to offer guidance and encouragement.

Her elder sister, Chiamaka Ononiwu, 20, is a final-year medical student at Babcock University in Nigeria. She penned Waterfalls, a heartfelt and deeply spiritual work she describes as divinely inspired. Chiamaka views her writing as a calling — a mission to uplift souls and bring hope to those struggling with life’s challenges.

“Personally, I would say it all started with the idea of inclusion, inspired by real human experiences,” Chiamaka shared. “We’ve had conversations with people who’ve gone through difficult situations — including issues and those stories helped shape what I write today.”

She added, “It’s all about encouraging people to face life with faith. We began this journey during a dark time in the world, and I felt called to create something that could offer comfort and hope — not just locally, but globally.”

The official book launch and signing ceremony took place on Wednesday in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, and was attended by family, friends, colleagues, and well-wishers. It was a celebration of creativity, faith, and youthful brilliance, as the sisters presented their work to an inspired audience.

Speaking at the event, Chiamaka emphasized the core message of her book: “Waterfalls reminds readers that God is always watching over His people. He doesn’t bring fear — He brings peace, hope, and love. I want readers to find comfort and assurance in that truth.”

For Chiamanda, her book is a message to young people who may feel overwhelmed by life’s pressures: “Do Not Be Afraid is especially for youth navigating difficult times. No matter how hard life gets, you can always find strength and direction in God’s word.”

Writing came naturally to both sisters. Chiamaka recalled, “Even as a child, I loved writing short stories for my siblings. When the opportunity came to publish, I knew it was time to share my message with a wider audience.”

Despite their demanding academic paths, both young women balanced their studies with writing through perseverance and faith.

Chiamanda and Chiamaka are united by a shared dream — to inspire people across the world with their writing.

Chiamaka expressed Further; “Our biggest hope is that these books will reach people who need to know that God is real, that He’s always with them, and that through Him, anything is possible,” Chiamaka said.

With Do Not Be Afraid and Waterfalls, the Ononiwu sisters have not only created literary works — they’ve created lifelines. Their voices, grounded in faith and driven by purpose, remind readers everywhere that even in the darkest moments, God’s light never fades.

Their father, Dr. Charles Ononiwu — a distinguished surgeon and deeply devoted parent — also spoke at the event, sharing the journey from his perspective.

“For me, my number one priority has always been to care for children — not just medically, but also by encouraging them academically and in the basics of life,” he said.

He recounted a moving moment with Chiamanda, who approached him with the idea of sharing her story publicly to inspire others.

“She came to me and said she wanted to talk to her peers, to share how she had been comforted, and to help them see that everything would be okay,” he recalled. “As a father, my role was to guide her. I support both of them, help activate their strengths, and provide direction.”

Dr. Ononiwu made the decision to fund the publication of their books himself, believing in the power of their message.

“I told them, ‘You have something the world needs. You can make an impact in the lives of others,’” he said. “I believe every child has a gift. It is our responsibility as parents not to dismiss them, but to help them discover and nurture their talents.”

He encouraged all parents to support their children’s creative pursuits, noting, “Every person has something special inside them — no one is without talent. It’s just a matter of looking inward, discovering that gift, and sharing it with the world.”

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