The Nigerian government says 1,929,237 people has been vaccinated as at May 24th 2021.
The Executive Director, National Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Dr. Faisal Shuaib, who announced the development said that the number represents 96% of the targeted population in the country.
He said that the government is pleased to announce that it has almost completed administering all first doses included in this campaign, as of 24th May.
“We have now provided first COVID-19 vaccine doses to a total number of 1,929,237 Nigerians. In addition, we have begun providing second doses, and that number has reached 4,683. Those individuals currently eligible for second doses will have received their first dose 6 to 12 weeks ago. We are advising that all Nigerians who have received their first dose should check their vaccination cards for the date of their second dose, and ensure that they receive the second dose to gain full protection against COVID-19” Dr. Shuaib said.
He also said that “As we transition to administering second doses, our teams have assessed the communication and mobilization activities that have been undertaken thus far to create awareness for the COVID-19 vaccine and encourage uptake. We will be building on the work we’ve already done in these areas to ensure that Nigerians can easily access accurate information about COVID-19 vaccination. Our goal is to do everything possible to educate, combat misinformation, and ensure confidence in the safety and effectiveness of vaccines, and to ensure all Nigerians have clear information on how, where, and when to get the vaccine. We will do this through continuous engagement and communication with communities across our country”.
Vaccination for all
According to the ED, the successes achieved with the first dose is the collective efforts of all stakeholders, for which Nigeria is most grateful.
He also said that there would always be correct information on the COVID-19 vaccines to keep Nigerians on the know about issues surrounding it.
“As most people here know by now, the global community is facing great challenges regarding vaccine supply. Like most nations, this impacts the clarity over Nigeria’s next shipment. While we have information that we may get the next consignment of vaccines by end of July or August, these have not been officially confirmed. When we are able to, we will provide an update regarding timelines and details of the next shipment. At present, we do not have that information available due to the wider context we are in” he clarified.
Dr. Shuaib also pointed out that Pfizer and BioNTech have pledged to provide one billion doses of their COVID-19 vaccine to low-and-middle income countries by the end of 2021, and another one billion doses in 2022. Johnson & Johnson also announced it has signed a deal to provide 200 million doses of its vaccine to Covax and Nigeria would benefit from the pledges.
“Separately, the International Monetary Fund is now advocating for a $50 billion fund to be spent on ensuring a faster rollout of COVID-19 vaccines globally and is calling for at least 40% of the global population to be vaccinated by the end of this year, and at least 60% by June 2022. The fund would be used to increase COVAX vaccine coverage, procure additional tests, and expand vaccine production capacity. We strongly endorse the creation of such a fund, and emphasize that all nations must have comparable access to COVID-19 vaccines in order to end this pandemic. Additionally, the United States announced it will donate 20 million vaccine doses by the end of June to the COVAX scheme” Dr. Shuaib said.
Vaccinating remote areas
Also speaking at the joint briefing, the UNICEF Representative in Nigeria, Mr. Peter Hawkins, said that there is an ongoing effort to get vaccines to hard to reach areas in Nigeria.
“Nobody is safe until everybody is vaccinated. We can not underestimate the steps taken and the challenges ahead” Mr. Hawkins said.
He also urged Governors, traditional and other leaders to encourage their people to come out and be vaccinated for the safety of all.
Similarly, the World Health Organization’s County Representative, Dr. Walter Molumbo, congratulated Nigeria on the vaccination achievement.
He also urged Nigeria not to relent in the effort.
Emmanuel Ukoh
