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Enugu Flags Off Second Phase of COVID-19 Vaccination
FILE PHOTO: Dr Ngong Cyprian receives his first dose of the Oxford/AstraZeneca coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine from Dr Faisal Shuaib, Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, at the National hospital in Abuja, Nigeria, March 5, 2021. REUTERS/Afolabi Sotunde/File Photo
The Enugu State government has flagged off the second phase of the administration of Moderna and AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines on the people of the state, in collaboration with Development Partners.
The flag-off ceremony, which took place at the ESUT Teaching Hospital Parklane, Enugu, was performed on behalf of Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, by his deputy, Hon. Mrs. Cecilia Ezeilo, who conveyed the governor’s message, enjoining the people of Enugu State to get vaccinated and also observe the non-pharmaceutical methods of preventing the spread of the virus. The methods include: wearing of facemask, regular washing of hands with soap and running water and observing of social distancing protocol, among others.
In his address, the Executive Secretary, Enugu State Primary Health Care Development Agency (ENS-PHCDA), Dr. George Ugwu, revealed that the state government achieved 100 per cent coverage in the first phase of the AstraZeneca vaccination.
Ugwu disclosed that the state government has received 60,060 doses of Moderna vaccines to take care of those who did not receive COVID-19 vaccination in the first phase.
The executive secretary added that 13,416 doses of AstraZeneca vaccines were also received by the state government to complete the second dose for citizens who previously got only the first dose, during the first phase of the exercise.
He noted that Gov. Ugwuanyi’s administration has trained 1,200 health workers, who would ensure effective coverage of the second phase of the vaccination in all the designated Primary Health Centres (PHCs) and general hospitals across the 17 local government areas of the state.
The ENS-PHCDA boss, who added that some mobile health teams will visit Churches and markets to ensure that every citizen is reached, maintained the all 17 LGAs have effective cold chain mechanisms that preserve the vaccines to sustain their efficacy.
Ugwu therefore, expressed delight that the state’s unrelenting efforts in the fight against the pandemic as well as special interest in the provision of quality, accessible and affordable healthcare delivery services to the people were largely responsible for the remarkable feats recorded in the first phase of the vaccination exercise.
Speaking at the event, the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Emmanuel Ikechukwu Obi, reiterated the safety of the vaccines and urged those who have not been vaccinated or completed the second dosage in the first phase to do so, accordingly.
In their separate goodwill messages, the State Coordinator, National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Sir Philip Ugwueze, the State Coordinator, World Health Organisation (WHO), Dr. Ada Erinne and Chief of Field Officer, UNICEF, Enugu, Dr. Ibrahim Conte, commended Ugwuanyi’s administration for its untiring commitment towards the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic and other public health challenges in the state, urging residents to take advantage of the second phase of the vaccination to get vaccinated and be protected from the dreaded disease.
