By David Lawani
The Executive Director, National Primary Health Care Development Agency, NPHCDA, Dr Faisal Shuaib has disclosed that a total of 7,361,810 so far have been vaccinated against the dreaded COVID-19 pandemic across the country, saying the efforts of President Muhammadu Buhari, Boss Mustapha, SGF and Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire to commence the booster dose of the vaccines on Friday, 10th, 2021 is commendable
Shuaib made this disclosure in a remark during the flag-off of the COVID-19 mass vaccination campaign of Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displayed Persons at Waru IDP camp in Abuja noting that this 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”.
” Following the detection of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 in Nigeria, the Federal Government reviewed the country’s vaccination programme and resolved to health the booster dose using the Pfizer Bio-N-Tech vaccine across the country. This will take effect from tomorrow, Friday the 10th of December 2021.
” It is pertinent to reiterate the fact that the Nigerian COVID-19 vaccination programme is science-driven. Evidence has shown that the booster dose further increases protection against the virus. Eligibility for the booster dose includes being 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. This is another opportunity to be further protected. I, therefore, urge all those who have taken the right decision to be fully vaccinated, to walk into the nearest vaccination site for their booster dose as from tomorrow.
“I want to reassure everyone that COVID-19 vaccines are safe and efficacious. We have in place the required measures and precautions to ensure vaccine monitoring and accountability. We are committed to ensuring that our vaccination teams will be available on-site here and in other camps daily until every eligible person has received their vaccines. I, therefore, urge camp leaders to take responsibility and ensure all members are fully vaccinated. Please do not hesitate to demand the vaccines if the teams stop coming and there are still unvaccinated persons in the camp.
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“At this juncture, may I emphasize that taking the COVID-19 vaccine is not just an act of self-protection but also a civic duty to curtail the spread of the virus in the camp and in Nigeria. Every one of us has a critical role to play in mobilizing our friends, families, and campmates to the vaccination site. Remember, no one is safe from COVID-19 until everyone is safe. Even after vaccination let us continue to wear our face masks, wash our hands frequently, observe physical distancing and avoid large gatherings until Nigeria achieves full vaccination of all its eligible population”, he noted.
He said the over 7 million Nigerians who have received the vaccination was due to their conviction against the misinformation rife there in the public. He said so far, no Nigerian has been reported to have died out of taking the vaccine.
According to Shuaib: ” Today, Thursday, December 9th 2021, 7,361,810 Nigerians have received the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine and this 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.
” As you are aware, since the detection of the first case of COVID-19 infection in Nigeria about two years ago, the Federal Government has taken decisive steps to control the spread of the virus in the Country. Despite the challenges of large-scale misinformation about COVID-19 vaccines, Nigeria has successfully vaccinated over
seven million eligible persons and I am glad to inform you that none of these persons has died as a result of receiving the COVID-19 vaccine.
“Our record of successful vaccine rollout has been based on the consistent support from President Muhammadu Buhari and the guidance of the Chairman of Presidential Steering Committee on COVID-19 –Mr Boss Mustapha, and the Honorable Minister of Health – Dr Osagie Ehanire.
” While we remain grateful to God Almighty for using these leaders to intervene for our dear country, it is important to mention that the decision of over 7 million Nigerians to take the COVID-19 vaccine has been based on their rightful conviction that the vaccines are safe and effective in protecting them against the disease.
“We appreciate the courage, resilience and patriotism that Nigerians have continued to demonstrate in accepting to be vaccinated against COVID-19. And as time has come to prove that we were not wrong to have accepted the polio vaccine, time will come to prove that we are not wrong to accept the COVID-19 vaccine.
He commended the Federal Government under the able leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari who he said is determined to ensure that every eligible Nigeria and indeed any persons in Nigeria has access to the COVID-19 vaccines.
The ED noted that it is in furtherance of this determination that, the government introduced the COVID-19 Mass Vaccination Campaign to ensure equitable access to COVID-19 Vaccines by everyone.
“And as a result of our commitment to all Nigerians, COVID-19 vaccines are now accessible in all public, primary, secondary, and tertiary health facilities, private health facilities, worship centres, schools, markets, motor parks, shopping malls, etc, in order to fast track social and economic recovery from COVID-19. Suffice to say, we have sufficient doses of COVID-19 vaccines for this mass vaccination campaign.”
The Chairman of the Waru IDP camp in the FCT thanked the NPHCDA for considering the camp important adding that no words can express how they have felt for the assistance they have been receiving from the government and other relevant agencies for their upkeep.
