Posted on: Tue 12-04-2022

Executive Director, National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Faisal Shuaib, said the donation would boost mass vaccination and also aid COVID-19 response in Nigeria.

He explained that as at April 11, 13,588,718 persons, representing approximately 12.2 per cent of Nigeria’s population had been fully vaccinated, while 23,012,700 had 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 COVID-19 vaccine as they have been declared eligible to do so.

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 centre 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 thanked the Italian government for the donations which, he said, was in line with the global call for equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines.

He confirmed that Nigeria has 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, therefore, 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.

Italian Ambassador to Nigeria, Stefano De Leo, said 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, Walter Mulombo, in his remarks, appreciated Italian government for the intervention, stating that the donated vaccines will go a long way in boosting the ongoing COVID-19 vaccination in the country.

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