No Fewer than 500,000 residents have received the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine in Cross River, says Janet Ekpenyong, the director-general of Cross River Primary Healthcare Development Agency.

Ms Ekpenyong disclosed this on Thursday in Calabar.

According to her, the figure reflects the vaccination stage from March 2021 to October 2022, and the government’s target is to vaccinate at least 1.5 million people by the end of December.

Ms Ekpenyong, however, said that if the target was not met due to a low turnout of Cross River to take the vaccine, the agency would meet the target by the first quarter of 2023.

She called on the residents to visit any primary healthcare centre close to them for the vaccine, adding that it was safe and free.

“Between March 2021 and October 2022, 500,000 residents in Cross River have received the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. We have to decentralise the whole process. We are vaccinating at health facilities and outreach sites and also moving from one place to the other,” Ms Ekpenyong explained. 

She added, “We were able to achieve this with the support of key stakeholders, the media, and politicians, as well as traditional and religious leaders, among others.”

(NAN)