COVID-19: We need two years to vaccinate 109 million: FG
As confirmed cases of COVID-19 maintain a steady rise in Nigeria, President Muhammadu Buhari’s regime has said it will vaccinate 109 million Nigerians over two years.
According to the National Primary Health Care Development Agency’s Executive Director, Faisal Shuaib, revealed this at the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 briefing, on Monday, in Abuja.
“We remain in anticipation of about 57 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines from the COVAX Facility and the AU. Working with the states, the federal government plans to vaccinate all eligible population from 18 years and above, including pregnant women.
“However, the decision to vaccinate any pregnant woman will be made in consultation with her healthcare provider. There will be considerations of whether she is at high risk of contracting COVID-19 or not.
“She is likely to be at high risk, for example, if she is a frontline health worker, a support staff or a first responder in the different spheres of the security architecture of our country.
“This guidance is based on the Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunisation (SAGE). After excluding those that are under 18 years old, we plan to vaccinate approximately 109m Nigerians that will be eligible for COVID-19 vaccination over the course of 2 years,” he said.
Mr. Shuaib added that the federal government had received the commitment of 1.5 million and 100,000 doses of AstraZeneca from MTN and India, respectively.
“These eligible populations have been identified using the World Health Organization (WHO), vaccine allocation framework and prioritisation roadmap, as well as the disease burden data from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).
“They are the frontline healthcare workers, support staff, including those that work in high-risk areas such as point of entry workers, rapid response teams, contact tracing teams, COVID-19 vaccination teams, and strategic leadership.
“People aged 50 years and above and people aged 18 and 49, with significant co-morbidities and additional at-risk groups,” he noted.
(NAN)
We have recently deactivated our website's comment provider in favour of other channels of distribution and commentary. We encourage you to join the conversation on our stories via our Facebook, Twitter and other social media pages.
More from Peoples Gazette
States
Independence: NBA urges Nigerians to expect better future
The NBA said that ordinary Nigerians should be deriving benefit from the subsidy removal rather than hardship.
Agriculture
FG tasks ECOWAS on leveraging financing strategies for agroecology
The federal government has urged stakeholders in the agriculture and finance sectors in the West Africa region to leverage financing strategies to enhance agroecology practices
Politics
Katsina youths pledge to deliver over 2 million votes to Atiku
“Katsina State is Atiku’s political base because it is his second home.”
States
Ogun govt reconstitutes Awujale interregnum council, names chairman
It stated that “a consent judgment of the Ogun State High Court already affirmed the legality and authority of the AIAC, with all council members being parties to the suit”.
Diaspora
Nigerian-born Will Jawando, Junior Ezeonu, Oye Owolewa, Carol Kazeem, Gabe Okoye win U.S. midterm elections
Nigerian-born American politicians have recorded victories in the U.S. November 3 midterm elections, with Will Jawando, Junior Ezeonu, Oye Owolewa and Carol Kazeem.
World
Abdul El-Sayed becomes first Muslim senator in U.S.
Abdul El-Sayed has become the first Muslim senator in the U.S. after securing 2.2 million votes in Michigan to defeat Republican candidate Mike Rogers.
Showbiz
Police broker peace in dispute over Toluwanisings’ burial
Toluwanisings’ father, in a recent interview, said the family wanted the late singer’s burial put on hold pending a transparent probe into the cause of his death.
States
Police capture 103 suspects in crackdown on Borno criminals
The police command in Borno has arrested 103 suspects in a major clampdown on thugs, drug peddlers, and other criminals in the Maiduguri metropolis.
Heading 4
Trump concedes defeat as Democrats gain control of Congress in U.S. midterm elections
The Democrats “did a good job”, Mr Trump admitted in an interview with Fox News, adding, “I’m a little surprised.”
