NPHCDA innoculates 3,678, says vaccine is free

The National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) said 3,678 new clients have received first doses of the free Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines in Nigeria.

The NPHCDA disclosed this on its official Twitter handle on Sunday.

The agency said that the additional innoculations brought the total number of vaccinated clients in the country to 1,171,515.

“As of today, April 25, 1,171,515 eligible Nigerians have so far been vaccinated with first dose of the COVID-
19 vaccine.

“COVID-19 vaccine is free to all eligible Nigerians at all designated sites across the country, including the FCT.

“Vaccination cards are also at no cost and are freely given to only those vaccinated at these sites,” it stated.

The agency said that the additional innoculation represented a proportion of 58.2 per cent of the 4.4 million vaccines received in the country.

It said Lagos led the chart with 227,718 persons already vaccinated, followed by Kaduna 60,918, Kano 60,460, FCT 57,368 and Ogun 53,467.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Federal Government plans to vaccinate 109 million people against COVID-19 virus in two years.

It reports that only eligible population from 18 years and above will be vaccinated in four phases.

”The current phase of vaccination covers health workers and other frontline workers although Nigerians from other groups are also getting vaccinated.

”The innoculation of frontline health workers in some states has been completed, and attention has shifted to older adults, aged 65 and above,” it said.

Meanwhile, the Federal Government has directed the state governors not to exceed the 50 per cent utilisation of the vaccines to allow for a second dose to those who had taken the first dose.

It said the remaining 50 per cent would be administered between 8 weeks and 12 weeks from the date of the first doses.