From Olanrewaju Lawal, Birnin Kebbi
The Kebbi State Government has kicked off the COVID-19 vaccination with health workers and other front line officers as part of strategies to ensure all people of the state were vaccinated in the vaccination exercise .
Among those that received the first jabs are Chief Medical Director of Kalgo Medical Centre,Dr. Abubakar Koko , Chief Medical Director of Sir Yahyah Memorial General Hospital,Birnin Kebbi,Dr Aminu Bunza ,Special Adviser to Governor on Medial, Mallam Yahyah Sarki among others.
The state Commissioner for Health, Alhaji Muhammad Ja’afar, who flagged off the vaccination exercise in Birnin Kebbi , stated that, the state had received delivery of 57,810 doses of Astrazeneca COVID-19 vaccines from the Federal Government about a two weeks ago from the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Abuja.
Jaafar noted that the vaccines had a successful launch in the state and had been embraced by eminent leaders in the state after the intensive and all- inclusive campaign embarked by the state government .
“Aside the frontline workers, then followed by other health workers and strategic political leaders of the three tiers of governments.
“It will also include the traditional and religious leaders, and other frontline workers as media, security agencies and bank officials as well as citizens of the state,” he said.
The commissioner also urged the health workers working in various health facilities in the state to ensure they were inoculated in order to ensure the success of the exercise.
In his speech, the Kebbi State Coordinator, National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Akuso Yahaya observed that COVID-19 vaccine was a necessity for all manner of people.
He said Kebbi State was flagging off lately compared to other states, adding that the state was among the last five state to flag off.
“It is not by accident, the State Government wants to ensure that all stakeholders are carried along, that’s why the governor said we shouldn’t hesitate to flag off.
“But to ensure that everybody in every Local Government Area of the state is enlightened on the vaccine.This vaccine is free and safe for all to take,” Yahaya said.
Earlier, the Executive Secretary of the state Primary Healthcare Development Agency (PHCDA), Dr Abubakar Ka’oje, said the flag – off of the covid-19 vaccination was a long- awaited activity.
“A lot of us had been asking question as to when the campaign should start in the state. We deemed it expedient to embark on a series of sensitisation campaign before the commencement of the vaccination.
“During the period, we were able to reach important stakeholders in the state; and I want to let you know that the acceptance have increased significantly and we are going to surprise even those states that have started before us,” Ka’oje said.