…launches Medi Safety, helpline for Adverse reaction
By Joyce Remi- Babayeju
The Federal Government has reopened administration of first dose of the COVID- 19 vaccination across the country as a result of increase in the demand of vaccines by Nigerians.
Executive Director of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, NPHCDA, Dr. Faisal Shuaib made this know today in Abuja during a press briefing on the update of the COVID- 19 vaccination in the country.
Shuaib said, ” You would recall that the government has reopened administration of the first dose to address increase in vaccine demand by people who are yet to be vaccinated. This resulted in the increase in number of clients vaccinated with the first dose.
He disclosed that so far 2,099,568 people have collected the first dose of Oxford AstraZeneca jab while 1,005,234 people have received the second doses of the vaccine.
The NPHCDA boss further announced that due to the economic constraints experienced by there is an extension of the second dose until 5th July 2021from the initial closing date of 25th of June, 2021.
He urged those who have received their first dose not later than May23 to visit the nearest vaccination site to receive their second dose for full protection against COVID -19 and for those in Diaspora who are yani
He however noted that full vaccination DOES NOT exempt people who have received their second doses of the vaccine from observing the infection prevention and control measures.
“It is very important for everyone, including those who have received their second doses to continue to wear face masks and observe other non-pharmaceutical measures.
He enjoined health workers not to turn back Nigerians living Disapora who are yarning to come back to the country for a second to walk into designed health care facility to receive their jab.
He lamented that Nigeria among other low- middle income countries has experienced great frustration regarding the global vaccine supply due to great inequity in terms of distribution, but noted that due to large donations of vaccine supplies by donor country like the US Nigeria is expecting supply of new consignments of COVAX facility vaccines.
Furthermore, the agency boss called on Nigerians to avail themselves the opportunity to report any adverse reactions on persons. He said that owing to Adverse event of the vaccine on persons a new App known as MED- SAFETY was launched by the agency in partnership with NAFDAC to help individuals to report vaccine side effects of persons.
According to him, the application known as MED-SAFETY App was launched; it is available for free on Play store for Android devices and Apple Store for IOS devices. With this App, any individual can report vaccine side effect for him or herself, or on behalf of another person, and will receive timely response..
So far after more than three million vaccinations, 13,267 people have experienced mild to moderate side effects, while 4,708 have experienced moderate to severe side effects, Shauaib announced.
Meanwhile, the World Health Organization, WHO Country Representative Dr. Walther Kazadi Mulombo noted that vaccine iniquity among the public continue to give COVID-19 the reason to spread, adding that vaccine hestitency is also hampering vaccination.
Mulombo advised that Nigerians must continue to wear face masks and observe physical distances amongst other non pharmaceutical protocols to ease the country of COVID- 19
He stressed that 77% of all vaccine doses are being administered in just 10 countries.
UNICEF Country Representative, Dr Gangan Gupta commended leadership of the government of Nigeria towards COVID- 19 elimination and congratulated government for reopening first dose of vaccination for those who missed the first dose.
Gupta enjoined all Nigerians who have taken the first dose to go to the nearest centres to go get their second dose.
