Covid-19 : We have administered vaccine on 20 million Nigerians…Health Minister

Minister of health, Osagie Ehanire  yesterday said federal government has so far administered COVID-19 vaccine on 20 million Nigerians as its still making efforts to achieve the feat on vaccination.

The minister who stated this at the Launch of the SCALES 2.0 Strategy with the Use of Johnson and Johnson Single Dose Vaccine and Vaccination Site Finder for COVID-19 Mass Vaccination in Nigeria in Abuja Tuesday, however lamented the slow space of COVID-19 vaccination in the country.

He called on Nigerians who are still reluctant to take the vaccine to take the opportunity of the new programme to get themselves fully vaccinated against the virus.

The minister commended the management of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) for their efforts in ensuring that Nigerians are vaccinated against the pandemic.

“In November 2021, the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) introduced the SCALES strategy to rapidly ramp up COVID-19 vaccine coverage by expanding access to COVID-19 vaccines outside the health facility. Mass vaccination sites have been established at all public places such as markets, parks, shopping malls, schools, mosques, and churches. SCALES is an acronym for service delivery, communication, accountability, logistics, electronic reporting, and supportive supervision for the ongoing COVID-19 vaccination.

“Although the SCALES strategy has proven to be quite effective in ramping up COVID-19 vaccination coverage, the proportion of fully vaccinated Nigerians is still very low, partly because we have been using two-dose vaccines. Unfortunately, most people are reluctant to take their second dose for various reasons including fear of a repeat of the mild side effects they may have experienced with the first dose. the federal government, through NPHCDA, continues to strive to make COVID-19 Vaccination more accessible to the people. I am glad that every Nigerian can now be guided to the nearest COVID-19 vaccination site, from the comfort of their homes and from their phones.

“There is a unique opportunity to leverage the SCALES strategy using COVID-19 vaccination structures and resources to improve Routine Immunization (RI) coverage, with improved efficiency and reduced duplication of efforts by health care workers. This is to ensure that while controlling the transmission of COVID-19, Nigeria does not become a fertile ground for outbreak of childhood vaccine preventable diseases by rapidly increasing RI uptake alongside COVID-19 uptake.

“It has become imperative that we launch the SCALES 2.0 Strategy, which entails the integration of COVID-19 vaccination with childhood routine immunization for eligible adults 18 years and above and children zero to two years respectively, leveraging Mass Vaccination Campaigns, Routine Immunization Fixed sessions, Outreach services and Mobile services. We are also formally rolling out the Johnson and Johnson single dose vaccine while introducing the COVID-19 vaccination site finder.

“This means that all childhood vaccination, including administration of vitamin A, will now be done alongside COVID-19 vaccination at COVID-19 vaccination sites. Eligible children will now be able to receive their BCG, Penta 3, OPV 3, OPV 1&2, Measles, Yellow Fever vaccines, as well as Vitamin A supplement, at the sites where the adults receive COVID-19 vaccines. This is the good news we are bringing to Nigerians today.

“Let me assure Nigerians that we have adequate stock of the Johnson and Johnson vaccine, as we have over 30 million doses in stock. I call on all eligible persons that are yet to receive their vaccination to go to the nearest COVID-19 vaccination site and get vaccinated. This single dose offers the same protection you get from two doses of AstraZeneca, Pfizer Bio-N-Tech and Moderna vaccines.

” Also, I encourage those who have received their first dose of AstraZeneca, Moderna or Pfizer vaccines to ensure they take their second dose when due, to be fully vaccinated and protected.

“Your Excellencies, distinguished ladies and gentlemen, the SCALES 2.0 Strategy, the J&J roll out and the vaccination site finder, are great opportunities for Nigeria to ramp up COVID-19 vaccine coverage and reinvigorate Routine Immunization uptake. The federal government has provided all Nigerians the opportunity to protect themselves and their loved ones against COVID-19, and also enjoy the ease of access to childhood immunization.

“Let me commend the Executive Director of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr. Faisal Shuaib, for his continued innovative and exemplary leadership in vaccination and other primary health care (PHC) service delivery in Nigeria.

” As of 18th February, Nigeria has administered over 20million doses, representing over 18% of the 111,176,503 eligible population targeted for COVID-19 vaccination.

We will continue to strengthen our vaccine security and accountability through the NPHCDA Joint Task Force on Vaccine Monitoring and Accountability.

“We will continue to engage with all stakeholders, partners, and communities, to ensure inclusiveness and transparency in decision making and other processes involved in

COVID-19 vaccination and overall health care delivery in Nigeria.

 It is therefore my honour and privilege to Launch the SCALES 2.0 Strategy using the Johnson and Johnson single dose vaccine and the vaccination site finder, to the glory of God and for the benefit of Humanity”

Speaking, Peter Hawkins the UNICEF Representative in Nigeria, said “Within one year now, we are now at a point where vaccine are become predictable”.

The UNICEF country representative said over 60 million doses of vaccines have been pledged to arrived Nigeria for over 40 million people.

He congratulated the NPHCDA management for marking SCALES 2.0. In a remarkable period of time, stating that they have achieved a momentum that very few other people will be able to do.

“This really does allow for Nigeria to step up its vaccination programme nad realy invest immunization in  a way that it will allow us to protect the population of Nigeria from the virus COVID-19. In so doing, we must realized that all people need to be aware of the problem of covid 19 and all people need to protect themselves as well as protect their communities and the country as a whole.  No one is safe until we are all safe.

“And to our traditional and religious leaders, the role that you played over the years in helping Nigeria  reach the epic centre of the World Polio free last year, now is your chance to step up and work with us all to ensure that Nigeria is safe and there Africa become safe and the whole world with it.

“In so doing, we also want to ensure that Nigeria comes up stronger as a cou try that is able to ensure the full protection of its child population, its maternal population as well as its adult population against covid.

“Universal health and within it primary health is so important to ensure that the healthy future of Nigeria.  I want to use this occasion of COVID-19 vaccine not only to accelerate the progress for Nigeria but also to ensure that Nigeria is able to build back stronger and better to protect its women and children for the future.

“We all stand here to help Nigeria be a safe and sound country, the UNICEF boss maintained.

Earlier, the Executive Director of NPHCDA, Faisal Shuaib said if the agency is able to cover Nigeria, then definitely Africa is covered.

He said “today, we are vaccinating at a little over 200, 000 people par day. For us to be able to meet our target of over 70 per cent eligible population before the end of 2022, we have to hit 550, 000 people per day. That means more than doubling the number of people that we are vaccinating.

“These covid-19 number has been understood by people at that national level, the state and the local government level. Every state understands what it means to have a covid-19 number. Those are numbers that tell of the progress towards reaching those numbers that will ensure that you reach heard immunity.

 “Today, we are also launching the single shot vaccine Johnson & Johnson vaccine  for every one. We understand that one of the reason why there is a gap between our first and second doses is because people experience covid-19 adverse effect following covid-19 vaccination. Although these adverse effects are largely mild, we know that the opportunity to have that single shot not only in the hardest to reach areas but everybody having access to one single shot will definitely increase our coverage for covid-19 vaccination.

“We will also be launching the covid-19 site finder. This will again improve the ability of Nigerians to have access to covid-19 vaccine. Wherever you are in Nigeria, if you are able to sign in into this website, you will be shown the nearest covid-19 vaccination centre so you can make your way to this very centre”.