To make COVID-19 vaccines more accessible, the Enugu government has opened vaccination centres in shopping malls and major markets across the state.

George Ugwu, Executive Secretary, Enugu State Primary Health Care Development Agency (ENS-PHCDA) on Saturday listed Shoprite and SPAR as malls, along with Ogbete and Kenyatta markets, where residents can walk in to get vaccinated.

Mr Ugwu said the new vaccination centres would complement some 100 already existing ones, because having more centres would help the state achieve its target of getting every eligible resident vaccinated against the pandemic.

As the state prepares to begin the second phase of vaccination, Mr Ugwu said increased advocacy and public sensitisation was necessary for the success of the exercise.

“We have planned to officially communicate and use various grassroots leaders, traditional, religious and opinion leaders, to press home the message of the need for the vaccination, its safety and efficacy.

“We are desirous to go to the hinterland and check all falsehoods and unfounded information militating against the people to freely get vaccinated, especially in the rural areas.

“Our teams will be visiting worship centres, community meetings and other public gatherings to sensitise our people on the need to receive their COVID-19 vaccination for the protection of all,” he said.

The executive secretary noted that the agency had created special mobile vaccination teams that would cover groups that needed to be vaccinated.

“We are ready to make the sacrifice and send our special mobile vaccination teams to groups such as military and Paramilitary organisations among others to ensure reach and accessibility for them,” he said.

The state governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, flagged off the COVID-19 second batch vaccination at the Enugu State University Teaching Hospital, Enugu, on August 26.

The state has so far received 5,012 doses of the Modena vaccine and additional 13,416 doses of AstraZeneca vaccines, and is expecting an additional 60,000 doses of Modena.

A total of 1,200 health workers have been specially trained to vaccinate people in the second phase of the exercise.

The state already exhausted the 65,410 doses of AstraZeneca vaccines supplied by the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency in March, 2021.