COVID-19: FG To Vaccinate 109 Million Nigerians In Two Years
The Federal Government has expressed its readiness to vaccinate approximately 109 million Nigerians against the Novel Coronavirus disease COVID-19 in the next two years.
While Nigeria’s population stands at over 206 million, the country has just over 60, 000 vaccinators, with the Nigerian Primary Health Care Development Agency NPHCDA promising to boost the capacity of the personnel and also expand the size.
Also, Nigeria said, it on Saturday recorded the second highest number of COVID-19 case fatalities, as 24 patients at its treatment centres succumbed to the virus within 24 hours.
This came as government said it has scaled up surveillance against the Ebola Virus Disease at all its entry points in order to guard against importation and consequently having to deal with two pandemics simultaneously.
Speaking at Monday’s briefing of the Presidential Taskforce PTF on COVID-19, Executive Director of the NPHCDA, Dr Faisal Shuaib said the Federal Government will work with the states to vaccinate all eligible population from 18 years and above including pregnant women. “However, the decision to vaccinate any pregnant woman would be made in consultation with her healthcare provider. There will be consideration as to whether she is at high risk of contracting the COVID-19 or not and if she is a frontline health worker, support staff or responder in the security architecture of our country. In the end, we have to weigh the benefits versus the risks.
“After excluding those that are under 18 years, we plan to vaccinate approximately 109 million Nigerians who will be eligible for COVID-19 vaccination over the course of two years.
Additionally, the federal government has received the commitment of about 1.5 million and a hundred thousand doses of Astrazeneca vaccine from MTN and the Government of India respectively.
“All eligible population have been identified using the WHO Vaccine Allocation Framework and the Prioritization Roadmap as well as the Disease Burden Data from the NCDC.
These criteria are the frontline health workers, their support staff including those who work in high risk areas such as the Points of Entry, Rapid Response Teams, Contact Tracing Teams, COVID-19 Vaccination Teams and Strategic Leadership. People aged 50 years and above; people aged 18-49 years with significant comorbidities and additional at-risk groups.
In order to facilitate the implementation process, the Technical Working Group has come up with a strategy of pre-registration and scheduling of the target population to avoid overcrowding at vaccination posts”, said Shuaib.
Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire on his part said the National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control NAFDAC has taken delivery of “dossiers” of the Russian vaccine, Sputnik V and others from India and China with a view to evaluating and certifying them fit or otherwise for human consumption.
