By: Dawda Baldeh
As the ongoing nationwide coronavirus vaccination campaign continues, residents in rural communities and urban areas have narrated their success stories after taking the vaccine.
Mama Sawo and Fatoumata Dampha, residents of Badibou Minteh Kunda, Jabang Tamba, a resident of Kalagi village, and Kebba Bojang, a resident of Jambur village respectively, said their health has improved after taking the vaccinations.
“I took the vaccine twice and all I see is improvement in my health conditions. Before, I kept having health issues such as constant headaches, fever, stomach aches, common cold, and general body pain, but all that stopped after I took the vaccine.
“Now the vaccine has saved me from visiting the hospital frequently and spending money every time.
“All my two children have also taken the vaccine and the other one is an asthmatic patient but after taking the vaccine she never experienced any issues,” Mama Sawo told The Fatu Network.
Fatoumata Dampha, also a Badibou Minteh Kunda resident, confirmed health improvement after taking the jab.
She mentioned that she was having misconceptions about the effectiveness of the vaccine but for her, it came as a surprise after accepting the injection.
“I was very sceptical about the vaccine but after taking it, all I see was a success because now I don’t go to the hospital like before,” she testified.
As the nationwide vaccination campaign to vaccinate at least 70% of the nation’s population continues, the vaccinators visited Kalagi village where Jabang Tamba, a village resident, also narrated how the vaccination helped improve his health condition.
Mr. Tamba, who is part of the Kalagi School Management Committee, said it is important for people to be vaccinated, adding that the country is known for accepting vaccines.
“When the vaccination started in the country the rumours and misinformation were very high, preventing most of the people from taking the vaccine.
After taking my first doze it came as a surprise because all the health complications I was having such as body pain, chest pain, headaches, and fatigue disappeared and this is why I’m convinced that the vaccines are safe and effective,” he narrated.
According to him, he is now healthy as he described the vaccination as lifesaving. For him, the vaccine can cure a lot of other diseases apart from the virus.
“Vaccination is not something new in the Gambia because a lot of other diseases were here such as chickenpox, polio but now they disappeared because of the vaccine people are taking,” he said.
Meanwhile, Kebba Bojang a resident of Jambur village in Kombo south, also outlined the benefits he gained after accepting the vaccine.
He called on the people who are yet to take the vaccine for any reason to rush and get vaccinated, saying prevention is better than cure.
These rural dwellers have not seen any negative effects of the vaccines contrary to what is being spread around that anyone who takes the jabs will die or have health problems.
