• Experts urge sustained observance of protocols to defeat variants
Only 60 per cent of eligible Nigerians have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
The disclosure comes amid warning from health experts that the pandemic is “still much with us.”
Executive Director of National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Faisal Shuaib, made the revelation in Abuja at a knowledge sharing for Accelerating Equitable Access, Acceptance and Uptake of COVID-19 Vaccines (ACCESS) Project, organised by Pathfinder International, with funding from MacArthur Foundation.
The project, geared at addressing vaccine hesitancy, build trust and ensuring equitable distribution of vaccines in Kano, Kaduna and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), was implemented by Pathfinder international, in partnership with Planned Parenthood Federation of Nigeria (PPFN), Nigerian Interfaith Action Association (NIFAA), Vaccine Network for Disease Control (VNDC) and Sapphital Learning Limited.
Represented by the State Immunisation Officer, FCT, Dr. Okoli Nicholas, the NPHCDA boss submitted that Nigeria was yet to attain the target of vaccinating 70 per cent of its citizens.
He blamed the development on people’s hesitancy to take the vaccine, adding that lifting of lockdowns and restrictions contributed to the problem.
Shuaib said: “We all know that for us to attain herd immunity, a significant number of the population must have been vaccinated. Our target is to vaccinate every eligible person, 18 years and above, in Nigeria. That translates to about 70 per cent of the population. But as I speak to you now, we are still short of that 70 per cent. Today, we’re just about 60.1 per cent as against our target of 70 per cent.
“Though, this 60.1 per cent is nationwide, but if you come down to different states, we have those who are still at 54 per cent, some are at 60 per cent and others 70 per cent. Some states have also surpassed this 70 per cent target. State like Nasarawa has gone up 100 per cent. However, as a nation, we must get to 70 per cent before we can get to beat our chest and say yes, we have attended immunity. In FCT, we are recording about 50 per cent vaccination.”
Asked of what the country is doing wrong in this regard, the NPHCDA chief executive asserted that the only challenge was vaccine hesitancy.
“So that’s the only challenge we’re having. Not that the vaccine is not safe or available, there are just a lot of rumours out there, and people are still not very willing to come and take the jab,” he explained.
Country Director, Pathfinder International, Dr. Amina Dorayi, said the fact that the epidemic is very much still should give everyone concern.
She, therefore, urged sustained observance of COVID-19 protocols to conquer the variants.
To address the misinformation and accelerate acceptance of the vaccine, Dorayi noted: “We worked with religious, community leaders and resource persons to share the correct information.
On his part, Director, Disease Control in Kano, Dr. Imam Bello, said amid initial rejection, the state government mustered the political will in ensuring that the jab got to the remotest areas.
