About 4,680,000 Nigerians vaccinated against Covid-19 – NPHCDA

The National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) has said about 4,680,000 Nigerians have so far been vaccinated against COVID-19 .

The Executive Director /Chief Executive Officer of the agency, Dr Faisal Shuaib, disclosed this during the South South zonal town hall meeting on COVID-19 vaccination on Saturday in Benin.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the town hall meeting was organised by the Presidential Steering Committee on COVID-19, in collaboration with NPHCDA and the Edo government.

Shuaib noted that out of the 4,680,000 million vaccinated Nigerians, about 1,865,127 were fully vaccinated with the two doses.

He stated that the figure was below the nation’s target ,adding that the threats posed by the virus could prevent the country from returning to normal living.

According to him, in the course of the next few weeks, NPHCDA plans to gradually involve the private sector as sites for COVID-19 vaccination.

Shuaib, however, disclosed that the Federal Government had set up a Joint Task Force on COVID-19 vaccine for monitoring and accountability in collaboration with the security agencies.

Earlier, the Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire said the town hall was organised to discuss COVID-19 vaccination, address mutual concerns and reach a consensus to ensure citizens were safe and protected against the deadly coronavirus.

Ehanire, said Nigeria had so far lost 2000 of her citizens to COVID-19, adding that the virus had also affected the nation’s GDP.

According to him ,the government needs to vaccinate 70 per cent of the population to effectively curb the spread of the virus.

“The way out off this is to get vaccinated because those who have taken the vaccine have full protection while the unvaccinated are exposed to danger,” he said

He disclosed that the Federal Government was working with the private sector for the production of vaccine in the country.

According to the minister, records have shown that over 90 per cent of deaths recorded from COVID-19 are from unvaccinated persons.

Also speaking, Gov. Godwin Obaseki said the state had so far vaccinated over 130,000 residents against the virus.

Represented by his Chief of Staff, Osaigbovo Iyokha, Obaseki said the state target was to vaccinate 60 per cent of the population. (NAN)