The Federal Government has flagged off its Second Phase of the National Covid-19 vaccination after it received more than 4 million Moderna vaccine and 177,600 Johnson and Johnson vaccine in continuation of its effort to vaccinate 70 percent of the nation’s population.
The Secretary to the Government of the Federation and the Chairman, Presidential Steering Committee (PSC) on Covid-19, Boss Mustapha, while flagging off the Phase II of the National Covid-19 vaccination at the Federal Medical Centre Jabi, said the second phase covid-19 was in continuation of the Four- Phased Strategic Vaccine Roll-Out plan in line with its national response.
SGF said that presence of the Delta Variant of the Covid-19 virus has led to the spike of Covid-19 cases in the country. He expressed confidence that with the arrival the Moderna vaccines donated by the Government of the United States of America and the 177,600 of Johnson & Johnson vaccine would go a long way to stem the tide as the nation battles the third wave.
He said that the Federal Government has made every arrangement to ensure easy access to safe and effective Covid-19 vaccine to all eligible Nigerians. He therefore enjoins all eligible Nigerians to register and get vaccinated.
In his words: “I want to assure you that the Federal Government is committed to ensuring that Nigerians have unfettered access to Covid-19 vaccines as the country will continue to invest in and access safe and effective vaccines. It is now the responsibility of every citizen to register and get vaccinated so that we can achieve our desired herd immunity of vaccinated at least 70% of our eligible population”.
The SGF, who officially received the 177,600 doses of Johnson & Johnson Vaccine on behalf of the Federal Government, said the World Health Organisation (WHO) has commended the feat of the Presidential Steering Committee on Covid-19 in the handling of the first phase of the Covid-19 vaccination and its entire National Response, which have been adjudged as one of the best in the world. He also used the opportunity to thank the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPCDA) and other key partners for the various initiatives that have contributed immensely to its success story.
He used the opportunity to rally the support of the State government and those in leadership positions to intensify their mobilization efforts and continue to facilitate the vaccination of eligible persons in their state governments and local governments to ensure all allocated vaccines for the second phase are fully utilized.
The President of the Senate, Dr. Ahmed Lawan, who was represented by Chairman, Senate Committee on National Primary Healthcare & Communicable Diseases, Senator Chukwuka Utazi, congratulated President Muhammadu Buhari and Presidential Steering Committee for the milestone achievement in the global ranking in the fight against Covid-19. He added that with the arrival of the more than 4 million Moderna Vaccine and the 177, 600 Johnson and Johnson, the nation is on course in winning the war against Covid-19.
The Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire said that Nigeria is working toward producing vaccines through partnering with eminent Nigerians, National Assembly, and some countries for technological transfer toward its actualization. He also said that the fight against the Covid-19 is a collaborative effort and not only for Government alone and urged all Nigerians to continue to observe the non-pharmaceutical interventions as the country is not out of the woods yet.
The Executive Director, National Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr. Faisal Shuaib, thanked President Muhammadu Buhari for exhibiting exemplary leadership in the fight against Covid-19 and the Government of the United States of America for their magnanimity in supporting Nigeria with more than 4 million doses of Moderna Vaccine. He assured Nigerians that in the couple of months Nigeria would be receiving 3.9 million AstraZeneca Vaccine to complement the first doses earlier received.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) Representative to Nigeria, Dr. Walter Kazadi Mulombo in his good will message congratulated Nigeria through the Presidential Steering Committee on Covid-19 for the robust Covid-19 national response in the first phase of the national vaccination campaign and for also successfully utilizing 98.1 percent of the first tranche of Covid-19 vaccine received.
