The National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) has disclosed that 2, 897, 201 people had taken the COVID-19 vaccines in Nigeria.
The Executive Director, NPHCDA, Dr. Faisal Shuaib, disclosed this on Tuesday, in Abuja, at the National Vaccines briefing.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that only 2, 897, 201 million people in Nigeria have received their complete dose of the coronavirus vaccine as at Aug. 30, 2021, a far cry from the federal government’s goal of inoculating 70 percent of its citizens by the end of 2022.
The country, which now has three COVID-19 vaccines that had been approved for emergency use by the World Health Organization (WHO), has commenced its phase 2 vaccination in 35 states and the FCT, according to Shuaib.
“ For clients who have not had any vaccination, the Moderna Vaccine is available and is being administered currently in all designated health facilities in the country, while those who have had their first dose of AstraZeneca vaccine are encouraged to visit their designated health facility to get their second dose,” he said.
The NPHCDA boss disclosed that the the UK government had generously donated an additional 592,880 doses of the AstraZeneca-Oxford COVID-19 vaccine, which was received on Aug. 26, 2021, through the COVAX Facility.
“The total quantity of vaccines donated by the UK Government stands at 1,292,640 doses. The additional doses would be included in the second dose vaccination exercise currently ongoing for clients, who have already taken the first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine in the first phase.
“I, therefore, use this opportunity to once again call on those who received the first dose of AstraZeneca vaccine before July 8, 2021, to go and get their second dose, to be fully protected against all strains of the Corona virus,” he added.
He called on governors to continue to provide leadership in the mobilization of citizens to prioritize the acceptance of COVID-19 vaccine.
“We are particularly enthused by the example of the Governor of Edo State, His Excellency, Godwin Obaseki, as he mobilized churches and religious leaders towards mass acceptance of the COVID-19 vaccine.
“Already, we are getting requests from Edo state for additional vaccines. This is highly commendable,” he said.
