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From Fred Ezeh, Abuja
The Federal Government on Monday took delivery of 3,002,400 doses of the Johnson & Johnson brand of COVID-19 vaccines donated by the Government of Italy.
The Executive Director, National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Dr Faisal Shuaib, who received the consignment on behalf of the Federal Government, said the donation will boost mass vaccination and also aid the COVID-19 response in Nigeria.
He explained that as of April 11,13,588,718 persons, representing approximately 12.2 per cent of Nigeria’s population, have been fully vaccinated, while 23,012,700 Nigerians have received their first dose which represents 18 per cent of the total eligible population.
He encouraged pregnant women and lactating mothers to take advantage of their regular visits to the hospitals to take the COVID-19 vaccine as they have been declared eligible to take the vaccine.
He said: “Our current strategic approach for delivery of COVID-19 vaccines, known as optimised SCALES 2.0 strategy, entails the integration of COVID-19 vaccines with our current implementation.
‘This means that parents and caregivers with children or Wards aged zero to two years are encouraged to bring their children along to the COVID-19 vaccination site where childhood vaccines are available. While the adult receives COVID-19 vaccines, the children are assessed for the antigen they are due for and vaccinated. Thus, making the vaccination exercise more family-friendly.
‘We believe this will further motivate eligible persons, including pregnant and breastfeeding mothers to get vaccinated against COVID-19.’
He appreciated the Government of Italy for the donations which, he said, were in line with the global call for equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines.
‘It’s a reflection of the sincerity and commitment of the Government of Italy and European delegates to the global efforts in halting this pandemic for nations of the world to return to their normal way of life,’ he added.
He assured the Italian delegates that the vaccines, like all other vaccines, would be judiciously utilised, adding that accountability measures have been instituted in the COVID-19 vaccination programme to ensure efficient use of all available resources.
He confirmed that Nigeria has an adequate quantity of COVID-19 vaccines across states for every eligible person in Nigeria. He assured Nigerians, donors, and partners, that Nigeria is committed to equitable and effective COVID-19 vaccination.
He urged all persons aged 18 years and above including pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers to take advantage of the availability of vaccines to get vaccinated. “All COVID-19 vaccines in Nigeria are free, safe, effective and protect you, your family and your community against COVID-19,” he said.
Italian Ambassador to Nigeria, Ambassador Stefano De LEO, in his remarks, stated that the intervention was part of the commitment of the Italian government to the global fight against COVID-19.
He reassured the Federal Government of its support in the fight against COVID-19 and other areas they could.
World Health Organisation (WHO) Country Representative, Dr. Walter Mulombo, in his remarks, appreciated Italian government for its intervention, stating that the donated vaccines will go a long way in boosting the ongoing COVID-19 vaccination in the country.
He maintained that vaccination is still the best defence against COVID-19 and appreciated the mass vaccination campaigns produce results.
He said the J&J vaccines came at the right time after the re-launching of the optimised SCALES strategy on the 22nd February, 2022, with theme “One shot COVID-19 Vaccine for Everyone”.
He explained that the SCALES 2.0 was aimed at providing an opportunity for the single-dose COVID-19 vaccine to be rolled out in the states.
