The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Vaccine Task Force has recommended compensation for citizens who suffer side effects or injury from the COVID-19 vaccination.
Prof. Stanley Okolo, Director-General of the West African Health Organisation (WAHO), made the announcement on Saturday in Abuja.
He spoke at the 5th Regional Steering Committee meeting of the Regional Disease Surveillance Systems Enhancement (REDISSE) project.
The recommendation was part of the resolutions the task force presented to the ECOWAS Ministerial Coordinating Committee to encourage citizens to receive the vaccine.
The DG said member countries, whether in Africa, West Africa, Europe or Asia, must think about the supplementary or residual indemnity.
“That is one of the issues being taken up by COVAX, the body set up by the WHO and GAVI, to look at how they indemnify some of the companies regarding the vaccines they supplied.”
He disclosed that the Ministerial Committee agreed that member countries should watch out for any significant side effects or injury.
COVID-19 vaccine: ECOWAS recommends compensation for side effects, injury