The Nigerian Government has flagged off a national campaign to ramp up COVID-19 vaccination in the country.
Chairman of the Presidential Steering Committee on COVID-19, Boss Mustapha who launched the campaign in Abuja, said that the campaign aimed at ramping up coverage to at least 50% of eligible target population by 31st January 2022.
“This is coming on the heels of the first and second rounds of vaccination that focused on the strategic leadership, frontline medical workers and other eligible citizens”.
“You will recall that the National Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic commenced early in March 2020, shortly after the index case was recorded. Through the concerted effort of researchers, humanity rapidly advanced the global response to the discovery and deployment of vaccines to control a virus that had mutated into deadly variants and cumulatively caused over five million fatalities according to the statistics released by the World Health Organisation.
“The Federal Government, as part of its duties and commitment to the welfare and safety of Nigerians, speared no efforts in accessing vaccines which were deployed in a strategic manner so that the impact of the virus on all facets of our national life would be minimized”. He said
He stated that in addition to vaccines donated to the country, huge resources were committed to ensuring that citizens have access to effective and safe vaccines.
“In spite of these unparalleled levels of commitments and the achievement recorded, in the first and second phases of COVID-19 vaccination campaign, I must inform Nigerians that we are far from achieving the national target of vaccinating 70% of our eligible target population to move Nigeria towards attaining herd immunity by 2022”.
” It is important to mention that through this MASS VACCINATION CAMPAIGN initiative arrangements have been made to ease all known bottlenecks to access because NPHCDA has expanded vaccination sites. These sites include (i) public health facilities, (ii) private health facilities, (iii) mobile vaccination posts and (iv) mass vaccination sites such as-: Schools, Markets, shopping malls, Recreation centres, Motor parks, worship houses, and other public places that attract high human traffic.“
He further assured Nigerians that the National Primary Health Care Development Agency has also taken stringent measures to prevent any compromise of the process along the value chain.
“This vaccination is free because Government remains conscious of its responsibility to safeguard the health of our people,“ Mustapha added.
Similarly, the PSC Chairman reminded Federal Government Employees that December 1, 2021 remains the deadline for all to show evidence of being vaccinated or a PCR NEGATIVE TEST RESULT done 72 hours before being allowed into their offices.
PIAK
