Awka – Anambra State Government has announced that COVID-19 vaccination will take off in Anambra state on a public scale, from March 18 to March 27.
Commissioner for Health, Dr Vincent Okpala announced this at a news briefing on COVID-19 Vaccine Introduction in his office at the Jerome Udoji Secretariat Complex, Awka on Wednesday.
On March 2, Nigeria took delivery of an estimated number of 4 million doses of the Oxford/AstraZeneca COVID-19 Vaccine, out of which Anambra State received 78,810 doses on March 11.
Speaking on the exercise, Dr Okpala noted that the vaccine received was a product of rigorous scientific processes and certified as safe by multiple foreign agencies like World Head Organisation (WHO), as well as local agencies like National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).
According to him, the main objective of the COVID-19 vaccine introduction is to slow down and disrupt the transmission of the virus in all parts of the world.
The commissioner assured Anambrarians of the safety of the vaccine and explained that the COVID-19 registration and vaccination would be free of charge in the state, urging all stakeholders at various levels, to support in sensitizing their subjects on the benefits and importance of the proposed vaccine introduction.
“Remember that vaccination is not a substitute for discontinuation of observation of COVID-19 protocols.
“All the COVID-19 preventive measures and protocols are still in place and must be observed until further directives from the appropriate authorities,” he maintained.
The commissioner assured of the effective and efficient introduction of the vaccine in the state while listing the targeted group in the phase to include – the frontline health workers, strategic leaders, and frontline workers (non-health).
“To facilitate easy documentation of the vaccination process, all the targeted persons in phase one of the vaccine introductions are expected to use this link:https://nphcdaict.com.ng/publicregfor electronic self registration.
“Also provided are the Anambra State Public Health Emergency Operation Numbers 09034668319 and 09034663273 for easy flow of information,’’ he said.
Okpala commended the State Government, WHO, National Primary HealthCare Development Agency (NPHCDA) on the successful rolling out of COVID-19 vaccines in the state.
Others are Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Presidential Taskforce and United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF).
In a welcome remark, the Executive Secretary, Anambra State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Dr Chioma Ezenyimulu urged front line health workers, people in the age bracket to come out en masse to receive the vaccine.
In her words; “We are aware that COVID-19 ravaged countries of the world but we are happy to say this is the time of hope, which is this stage of vaccination as we continue to live our normal lives.”
The WHO State Coordinator, Dr Chukwumuanya Igboekwu commended the State government for its proactive measures in curbing the spread of the virus and expressed WHO’s readiness to always provide support to the state when necessary.
