From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
The Federal Government has flagged off the National COVID-19 vaccination campaign aimed at ramping up coverage to at least 50 percent of eligible target population by January 31, 2022. This is even as it has charged all public servants yet to be vaccinated to take advantage of this mass vaccination campaign to be vaccinated in order to protect themselves and their loved ones.
The Secretary to the Government of the Federation and the Chairman, Presidential Steering Committee (PSC) on COVID-19, Boss Mustapha, while flagging off the campaign on Friday in Abuja, said it was in continuation of the Strategic Vaccine Roll-Out plan in line with its national response.
According to him, the Federal Government, as part of its duties and commitment to the welfare and safety of Nigerians, spared no efforts in accessing vaccines, which were deployed in a strategic manner so that the impact of the virus on all facets of our national life would be minimised.
He said: “In addition to vaccines donated to our country, huge resources have been committed to ensuring that our citizens have access to the effective and safe vaccines; awareness was adequately created to ensure that vaccine hesitancy was minimised.
“Strategy was developed to target the vaccination of at least 70 percent of our population for herd immunity, infrastructure was developed nationwide to support the supply and delivery chain; adequate manpower was recruited and trained to deliver the vaccines.
“Protocols were developed and updated regularly to minimise the risk of internal spread and importation of the virus; technology was deployed to keep records of the vaccines administered, people vaccinated and ensure that side effects were adequately monitored.
“Building health infrastructure and human resources to safely bring the process closest to our eligible target population; strict measures were taken to prevent fake vaccines from getting into the system; and as a futuristic measure, prepare traveling Nigerians for the emerging trends, which require full vaccination as a pre-condition for travels to certain destinations,” he said.
The SGF added that the mass vaccination campaign initiative arrangements have been made to ease all known bottlenecks to access the vaccines, because National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) had expanded vaccination sites.
Mustapha said: “These sites include (i) public health facilities, (ii) private health facilities, (iii) mobile vaccination posts and (iv) mass vaccination sites such as-: Schools, markets, shopping malls, recreation centres, motor parks, worship houses, and other public places that attract high human traffic.”