Uganda Cranes skipper Geoffrey Massa and goalkeeper Dennis Onyango alongside Liberia’s striker Anthony Laffor were appointed as the CAF health ambassadors for the campaign of vaccination.
The three are the football heroes that CAF fronted to Africa United, the official social cause for the 2017 AFCON and public health partners to raise awareness for the importance of immunization across the African continent.
Addressing the media at the Raddison Blu Hotel in Libreville, Gabon, the representative of the Africa United and World Health Organization, Hama Sambo Boureima told the media that they centered on football to promote the campaign because of its powerful nature in mobilizing masses.
Football is a powerful tool in mobilization and this is the reason we chose the football heroes. In Africa we face a lot of challenges and diseases that can be preventable through immunization.
We are very grateful for CAF for their generosity and social responsibility cause
The campaign is code named ‘Every Shot Counts’
‘It is easy to prevent than to treat. It costs less than a dollar to immunize but it takes more than a dollar to treat,” Sambo added.
The campaign was launched in 2016 to increase the level of commitment and to raise awareness towards immunization across Africa.
There is little or lack of knowledge for immunization. One of five children do not receive vaccination which is key.
Also, very little resources are dedicated to this cause. Therefore, routine immunization is key and it has be a called a collective effort
The well attended press conference was also attended by COCAN member, Snella Ange Pambo and the CAF media director – Junior Binyam.
Massa, Onyango and Laffor star in a new commercial tagged ‘Every Shot Counts’ on Television, Radio, Print and online advertisements.
The commercial has been also played in every stadium where the 2017 AFCON tournament was played prior to, at half time and after every match.
