By Joyce Remi- Babayeju
Today the Federal Government flagged- off the 2nd phase of the COVID-19 vaccination with 177,600 doses of Johnson and Johnson vaccines and the Moderna vaccines.
Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire officially declared the 2nd phase of the vaccination toll out at the National at the Federal Medical Centre, Jabi, Abuja.
The Executive Director of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, NPHCDA, Dr. Faisal Shuaibu said, ” This flag-off is necessitated by the need to create awareness on what we will be doing differently to ensure a more successful vaccination campaign.”
While commending the synergy and dedication among all health workers, allied government parastatals, the media and other stakeholders to fight the virus noted the country could not have succeeded in fully utilizing the COVID-19 vaccines we received from COVAX facility for our first phase of vaccination.
He commended the the United States government for donating 4,000,080 doses of Moderna COVID-19 vaccine, which received in-country on August 1st, 2021 in addition to the arrival of 177,600 doses of the Johnson and Johnson vaccine which is the first tranche of the almost 40 million doses the Federal Government has procured from the Africa-Export-Import (AFREXIM) Bank through the African Union.
He however disclosed that the balance of the vaccine will be delivered over the coming months.
“We sincerely appreciate the AFREXIM Bank President and his team for working tirelessly to ensure that the African countries are not short-changed in the access to the lifesaving COVID-19 vaccines.”
Furthermore he disclosed that the Johnson and Johnson vaccine is a one dose effective vaccine, the 177,600 doses will be focused on those who live in the hard-to-reach areas (riverine areas, desert areas, mountainous areas and security-compromised areas) and the elderly.
This is because they are people who may find it difficult to leave their homes to the health facility for second dose vaccination, Shuaib explained.
In a like manner today the country is expected to receive another donation of 698,880 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine from the UK Government through the COVAX facility.
The Executive Director of NPHCDA informed that the AstraZenaca doses will be targeted at those that are due for their 2nd dose of the vaccine.
“In the next couple of weeks, we will be expecting up to 3.9million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccines to complement what we already have and to ensure that we cover not only those who will be taking their 2nd AstraZeneca vaccine but also for those who will want to take their first dose of this vaccine.”
“I want to assure Nigerians that all brands of COVID-19 vaccine used in Nigeria are certified by NAFDAC as safe and effective especially against the Delta variant.”
He urged people who have taken the vaccines to encourage their loved ones, friends, and colleagues to get vaccinated adding that to stop the pandemic, there is need reach at least 70% herd immunity.
Even after vaccination, he encouraged the public to continue to observe the non-pharmaceutical measures such as wearing of facemask, physical distancing, and hand hygiene as a sure way to fight this pandemic.
The WHO Country Representative to Nigeria, Dr Walter Kazadi Mulombo reiterated the global health agency’s support to Nigeria for it’s 2nd phase vaccine roll out for successfully vaccinating over 2,5 million and 1,4 million persons with first dose and second dose of AstraZeneca vaccine.
Mulombo respectively in the Phase1 rollout of COVID-19 vaccination. More encouraging is the fact that the country utilized 98.9% (3,980,600 doses) of first tranche of COVID-19 vaccines.
He said, ‘today we are gathered to launch the Phase 2 of COVID-19 vaccination, with an initial 4,000,080 doses of Moderna and 176,000 doses of Johnson and Johnson vaccines, which will be administered to people aged 18 years and above in the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory of Nigeria.”
He commended the Government of Nigeria for investing in Cold Chain storage facilities for all vaccines potency, adding that it is a show of commitment to have all citizens vaccinated against the disease.
WHO emphazied that most countries, including Nigeria, are currently experiencing the third waves of COVID-19 outbreaks and enjoined the targeted population to come out and get vaccinated in order to interrupt the community transmission of the disease.
