By Joyce Remi- Babayeju
The Federal Government today flagged-Off the COVID-19 vaccination exercise at the Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs, camp in Wusa, Abuja as it begins booster jab with the Pifzer Bio- N- Tech vaccines for people who have taken their first and second doses amid the recent discovery of the Omicron variant in the country.
Executive Director of National Primary Health Care Agency, NPHCDA, Dr. Faisal Shuaib at the flag- off vaccination of “Massive COVID-19 Vaccination of All Persons of Concern in Nigeria” said,”The flag- off is being done to fast-track the coverage of all eligible persons.
‘Our special attention on the IDP Camps underscores the government’s recognition of the vulnerable conditions of our friends and families who are temporarily here.”
” Our presence here today, to flag-off the vaccination of our brothers and sisters in these camps across the country is also in fulfilment of that determination. Everyone, no matter where they are in the country MUST have access to the COVID-19 vaccines.”
According to the NPHCDA Executive Director, the Federal Government introduced the COVID-19 Mass Vaccination Campaign to ensure equitable access to COVID-19 Vaccines for all Nigerians.
He revealed that as at December 9th 2021, 7,361,810 Nigerians have received the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine and which represents 6.6% of the eligible population. 3,846,762 eligible Nigerians have received their second doses and are fully vaccinated against the virus representing 3.4% of the eligible population.
He disclosed to that the recent detection of the Omicron COVID-19 variant in country made the Federal Government to introduce the booster dose of the Pfizer Bio-N-Tech vaccine which will take effect as from tomorrow, Friday the 10th of December 2021.
Shuaib noted that the booster dose further increases protection against the virus, adding that eligibility for the booster dose is for persons 18 years and above, fully vaccinated with either two doses of AstraZeneca, Moderna or Pfizer Bio-N-Tech or a single dose of the Johnson and Johnson vaccine.
The time interval before the booster dose is at least six months for these vaccines, except the Johnson and Johnson which is at least two months.
Meanwhile the Federal Commissioner, National Commission for Refugees in Nigeria, NCRN, Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim said that Persons of Concern have had their livelihoods eroded by both man-made and natural disasters such as protracted fighting, insecurity, communal clashes, and the consequences of climate change, leaving them more vulnerable to the COVID-19 pandemic’s larger impact.
‘This is why the Commission is collaborating with the National Primary Health Care Development Agency to ensure that COVID Vaccines reach these vulnerable Persons of Concern to also help protect them from the virus.
Sulaiman- Ibrahim reiterated the Commission’s continued commitment to address the consequences and root causes of displacement, as it provides sustainable and durable solutions for Persons of Concern.
Also the Nigerian Armed Forces was on ground to support the IDPs with humanitarian assistance such as food item to cushion the effects of COVID-19 on the concerned persons.
