As Traditional leaders reposition for complete polio interruption, Vaccine hesitancy
By Joyce Remi- Babayeju
Amid the spread of Omicron variant in Nigeria, the Executive Director of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, NPHCDA, Dr. Faisal Shuaib has hinted that government will not hesitate to arrest Fraudsters discrediting the vaccination campaign in the country.
Shuaib made this known today in at the Sheraton Hotel, Abuja at the 2021 4th Quarter Review Meeting of Northern Traditional Leaders Committee on PHC Delivery, NTLC.
He said, ” I also wish to inform your highnesses that our Joint Task Force on vaccine monitoring and accountability is steadfast and are on alert to catch fraudsters whom we understand are still making efforts to discredit our vaccination program.”
Shuaib informed that so far over 8 million eligible Nigerians have been vaccinated against COVID-19, a far cry from the targeted 112 million eligible individuals for the country to attain herd immunity, adding the the strategic implementation of mass vaccination across the country has brought a significant improvement on figure of vaccinated persons.
Also to increase coverage and strengthen immunity against COVID-19, the NPHCDA lead noted that the Presidential Steering Committee on COVID-19 response, in collaboration with Federal Ministry of Health and NPHCDA has approved the administration of booster dose for persons that have completed 2 doses of AstraZeneca, Moderna, Pfizer Bio-N-Tech or 1 dose of Johnson & Johnson vaccines.
The booster dose he explained is meant to strengthen immune response to COVID-19 infection. People who take booster dose have greater protection against COVID-19.
Shuaib called on all eligible Nigerians to cease the opportunity to get their booster doses, which he said has the approval of WHO and is already being safely administered to eligible persons in Europe and America.
Educating Nigerians on the eligibility of the booster dose he said, ” To be eligible for the Pfizer Bio-N-Tech booster dose, you must be 18 years or above, and you must have received your second dose of AstraZeneca or Pfizer Bio-N-Tech at least 6 months ago.”
” A time interval of 2 months or more is required for those who received Johnson & Johnson to qualify for a booster dose. For those who received the Moderna vaccine, a booster dose of Moderna is given 6months after the completion of their second dose.”
“The administration of booster dose commenced throughout the country on 10th December 2021 and can be taken in any vaccination site free of charge.”
According to the Executive Director, there is need to strengthen the COVID-19 response by continuous observation of all
nonpharmaceutical measures to prevent further spread, assuring Nigerians that the Federal Government has deployed the necessary logistics to halt and control the Omicron variant.
It is just a variant of the COVID virus that can be handled if we all comply and take all recommended doses of the vaccines, while continuing to observe protective measure such as wearing of face mask, regular washing of our hand and social distancing to protect ourselves, he assured.
Shuaib commended the Traditional rulers on their unflinching efforts and sacrifices in controlling the community transmission of COVID-19 in Nigeria, through their leadership roll in the ongoing rollout of the COVID-19 vaccination campaign.
He urged the Traditional rulers to mobilise families and communities who are fully vaccinated to receive the booster dose which is free of charge.
In the same vein, Chairman of the , NTLC, the Emir of Arugungu, Alhaji Samaila Muhammadu Mera called on Traditional and Religious leaders to rededicate themselves to work selflessly to ensure complete interruption of the Polio Virus and to mitigate against rumor, mistrust and rejection of the Covid Vaccine in the coming year.
He said, “I urge all of us to continue to do more until every Nigerian child and mother are protected against risk of death or debilitating conditions from ailments that can be prevented .”
Daybreak reports that the 2021 4th NTLC was presided over by the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar 111.
