127,885 Persons Obtain COVID-19 Vaccine Jabs In Lagos
Ten days after the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccination in Lagos state, 127,885 Lagosians had received the jab by the weekend.
The state Commissioner for Health Prof. Akin Abayomi, who disclosed this on Sunday after he received reports of Day 10 of the exercise from the State Primary Health Care Board, said among those vaccinated so far, 39,959 (31.2 percent) are health workers; 54,200 (42.4 percent) essential workers and 33,726 (26.40 percent) strategic leaders.
“Our gender distribution data has also shown that we have vaccinated more females than males, with 65,501 females representing 51.2 percent and 62,384 males representing 48.8 percent vaccinated as of March 26”, Abayomi stated. According to him, Eti-Osa, Ikeja, Lagos Mainland, Alimosho, Kosofe, and Surulere Local Government Areas are currently topping the list with 12,313 and 12,135 persons vaccinated in Eti-Osa and Ikeja respectively.
“In Lagos Mainland LGA, we have vaccinated 11,791 persons; in Alimosho LGA, 9,783 people have received the COVID vaccine.
For Kosofe and Surulere we have vaccinated 9,723 and 8,903 persons”, Abayomi added. LGAs with the fewest number of citizens vaccinated include Apapa, Epe, Badagry, and Ibeju-Lekki with less than 3,500 persons vaccinated each.
Abayomi said the State was recording a steady increase in the number of persons receiving the vaccine, from 268 persons vaccinated at the flag-off of the exercise to 127,885 persons vaccinated as of March 26. Abayomi said the exercise has been extended by 10 days, in line with the directive of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, NPHCDA.
“The vaccination will continue at the 88 vaccination sites in Lagos for only citizens that fall within the Phase one category; including health and frontline workers, senior citizens aged 70 years above, essential duty staff, and strategic leaders.”
The Commissioner explained that the State Government was not oblivious of the challenges being experienced by eligible persons at some vaccination sites, adding that efforts were being made to address the challenges.
“We have identified some areas of concern on Infection Prevention and Control (IPC), overcrowding at some vaccination sites, and the E-registration portal. I want to assure Lagosians that all these issues and others are being addressed by the State Government in collaboration with NPHCDA.
“While no system is perfect, we are striving to improve the experience of Lagosians at our various sites. We are committed to this course and with the support of the NPHCDA and other stakeholders, we are certain of a successful vaccination exercise,” Abayomi said.
