Barely two months into the ongoing COVID-19 vaccination exercise in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), some medical experts have decried the swelling apathy towards the exercise, resulting in low coverage of eligible persons especially in the rural areas.
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This, according to the experts portends mortal dangers to the well-being of the entire population of the nation’s capital, in the wake of the prevailing devastating effects of the pandemic to the society.
Available statistics as at May 6, 2021, revealed that a total of 96,559 have been successfully vaccinated during the first round of the COVID-19 vaccination exercise and it is expected to end this Friday, May 14.
Programme officer, Immunization Services in FCT, Mrs. Salome Tor, described as unfortunate that there is so much apathy towards the COVID-19 vaccination especially among rural dwellers in the FCT.
Tor spoke while giving the FCT COVID-19 vaccine accountability profile at a one-day media orientation workshop on the exercise, organised by the FCT Primary Healthcare Development Board, in Territory.
She revealed as at May 5, 2021, there is 104,700 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine at the FCT cold store, as balance of the 123,700 received for the exercise in Abuja.
She noted that the exercise has been ongoing for about two months now, no death have been recorded, but only 47 mild and 2 severe (those with rashes) reactions were recorded.
According to the programme officer of the vaccination programme, those eligible for the vaccine are 18 years old and above in the Territory.
“We have a minimum of three health workers in each team, they have all been distributed into the six area council, all the government hospitals in the FCT are selected location for this vaccination.
“We also have temporary fixed post team; these are special teams who visit various organisations or special location. We urge people to go and vaccinate before the exercise closes,” she stated.
Similarly, the Executive Secretary, FCT Primary Healthcare, Dr. Iwot Ndaeyo, cautioned that deliberately avoiding vaccination posed imminent dangers to everyone in the Territory.
Ndaeyo however noted that FCT Administration is working toward making sure that 80 per cent of people in a community gets vaccinated to have immunity over the virus.
According to him, “We need at least seven out of 10 people to be vaccinated to be able to withstand the SARS 2 virus of COVID-19.
“I consider that as a deliberate hazard that will become hazardous to the community, so we advice that people shouldn’t put themselves in that position, they should go ahead and take the vaccine.
“We started this vaccination in FCT on March 15, the country at large started it on March 5, we have not seen anybody with serious complains about the vaccine in FCT.
“Why are people waiting, they should go ahead and take this vaccine in the health facility within the 62 wards of the FCT, the vaccine is safe.”
On his part, World Health Organisation (WHO) Consultant to FCT healthcare board, Abdulrasheed Jimoh, stressed the need for the media to help develop attitudinal change in the mind of the public about COVID-19 and the vaccine.
He therefore urged members of the public to do away with myths and lies about COVID-19 vaccine
