Category: Covid-19 - Page 6 - African News Today

Enugu, Ebonyi, Anambra Take Delivery of COVID-19 Vaccine

11Mar

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

Enugu, Ebonyi, Anambra Take Delivery of COVID-19 Vaccine

Enugu State Government alongside Ebonyi and Anambra States, took delivery of the first batch of Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine from the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, on Wednesday. The vaccine for Enugu State, which arrived at the Enugu airport at about 2:50 pm, through Allied Air, were received on behalf of the state government by the Commissioner for Health, Dr Emmanuel Ikechukwu Obi, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr Ifeanyi Agujiobi, the Executive Secretary, Enugu State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Dr George Ugwu, and heads of Development Partners in the state, such as World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF, among others. Speaking to newsmen, the Enugu State Health Commissione...

Ganduje Asks FG to Re-Open Kano Airport for International Flight

10Mar

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

Covid-19, Finance, News, Nigeria, Safety, Transportation

Ganduje Asks FG to Re-Open Kano Airport for International Flight

Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje has asked the Federal Government to re-open the Malam Aminu Kano International Airport, MAKIA, Kano, to permit the resumption of international flight operations. The Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Abba Anwar disclosed this in a statement issued in Kano. Ganduje made the appeal when he led a delegation of legislators, business, traditional and civic leaders to pay a courtesy visit to the Minister of Aviation, Sen. Hadi Sirika, in Abuja. The governor said that the continued closure of the airport has caused untold hardship to international travelers from the North, as well as negatively impacted on the ease of doing business in Kano. He said, “The closure of MAKIA has impacted negatively on the business environment in Kano, which is ...

55 COVID-19 Regulation Violators Arrested in Abuja

9Mar

By Chinedu IbeakanmaNo Comments

Covid-19, Law Enforcement, News, Nigeria

55 COVID-19 Regulation Violators Arrested in Abuja

Fifty-five persons were arraigned before an Abuja Mobile Court on Monday, for not wearing face masks. The violators were summarily tried and convicted by the presiding Magistrate, Ebiwari Eremasi, after pleading guilty to the charges. They were fined N2,000 each with an option of engaging in supervised community service. However, one of the convicts, who attempted to obstruct the court proceedings was remanded in a correctional facility. The magistrate while sentencing the offender for contempt of court after exhibiting unruly behaviour within the court premises, also counseled other convicts on the need to follow the COVID-19 protocols religiously. Speaking with newsmen after the court sitting, the Head, Media, Publicity and Enlightenment of the FCT COVID-19 Regulations Enf...

Buhari didn’t suffer Side Effects after COVID-19 Vaccination – Presidency

7Mar

By Chinedu IbeakanmaNo Comments

Covid-19, News, Nigeria, Press Statement

Buhari didn’t suffer Side Effects after COVID-19 Vaccination – Presidency

The Presidency on Saturday dispelled fears that President Muhammadu Buhari might have suffered a side effect from the jab of COVID-19 vaccine he received earlier in the day. A statement issued by Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, said President Buhari had not experienced any discomfort as a result of the jab as was being rumoured in some quarters. The statement said the President had been going about his normal business since he took the vaccine. It, however, assured that there would be no need for any cover-up if there was any development, hoping that the fact the President had not reacted negatively would assure citizens of the country that the vaccine is safe and dissolve the fears breeding hesitancy. Shehu said: “In respon...

Don’t play Politics with COVID-19 vaccines – Gbajabiamila tells Nigerians

5Mar

By Chinedu IbeakanmaNo Comments

Covid-19, News, Nigeria

Don’t play Politics with COVID-19 vaccines – Gbajabiamila tells Nigerians

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, has asked Nigerians not to play politics with the issue of Covid-19 vaccination as only a collective effort devoid of politics and conspiracy theories could guarantee a successful war against the virus A statement signed by the Special Adviser to the Speaker on Media and Publicity, Lanre Lasisi said the Speaker gave the admonition in Abuja on Friday at the National Flag-off of Covid-19 Vaccination in Nigeria. Lasisi quote the Speaker as saying that Nigerians must rally round the Federal Government in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic, describing it as “an unseen enemy” causing havoc around the world. Gbajabiamila also appealed to the media to pass accurate information about the virus and the vaccines to the public, ...

States Yet to Meet Conditions won’t Get COVID-19 Vaccines –FG

4Mar

By Chinedu IbeakanmaNo Comments

Covid-19, News, Nigeria

States Yet to Meet Conditions won’t Get COVID-19 Vaccines –FG

The Federal Government has said states who have not met the criteria for vaccine safety won’t get share of the about four million doses of AstraZeneca/Oxford COVID-19 vaccines in the country. Executive Director, National Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr Faisal Shuaib, disclosed this at a State House briefing in Abuja on Thursday. He also said the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.); and Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, will receive shots of the vaccines on Saturday to dissipate vaccine hesitancy amongst Nigerians. Shuaib said, “After we are able to get our strategic leaders to publicly demonstrate that these vaccines are safe, the plan is to now go to the state level to start the launch at the treatment centres of the states and also get strategic leaders such...

FG Won’t Make COVID-19 Vaccine Compulsory in Nigeria – Minister

3Mar

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

Covid-19, News, Nigeria

FG Won’t Make COVID-19 Vaccine Compulsory in Nigeria – Minister

Following the reception of nearly four million doses of COVID-19 vaccines by Nigeria, the Minister of States for Health, Olorunnimbe Mamora has said that the vaccine will not be made compulsory in Nigeria, stressing that it will not be enforced upon anyone. The vaccines were shipped through COVAX Facility, a partnership between CEPI, Gavi, UNICEF and WHO. Mamora disclosed this when he featured on Arise News to respond to questions on the vaccines. He said, “Nothing will be made mandatory. It’s optional. The choice is yours. Nobody will be forced to take any vaccine.” Responding to a question on whether it might become compulsory later on, the minister said, “If that happens, it would not be a decision of Nigeria.” According to Mamora, just as one can’t travel to some countri...

COVID-19 Vaccination Commences in Abuja Friday

3Mar

By Chinedu IbeakanmaNo Comments

Covid-19, News, Nigeria, United States of America

COVID-19 Vaccination Commences in Abuja Friday

President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo are expected to receive COVID-19 vaccine doses on Saturday. Nigeria on Tuesday took delivery of 3.9 million doses of AstraZeneca vaccine, the first batch of the 16 million expected through the World Health Organisation-led COVAX facility. The government is expecting 129 million vaccine doses to vaccinate 70 per cent of its population within two years. The consignment was received through the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport in Abuja aboard Emirates Airlines. The vaccine will be administered in two doses. At the end of Tuesday’s ceremonies to mark its arrival, a few vials of the vaccines were expected to be handed over to the National Agency for Food Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) team for analysis between today and...

Buhari, Osinbajo Set to Take COVID-19 Vaccine on Saturday

2Mar

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

Covid-19, News, Nigeria

Buhari, Osinbajo Set to Take COVID-19 Vaccine on Saturday

President Muhammadu Buhari, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Boss Mustapha and other high-ranking Nigerians are set to be among the first Nigerians to receive the COVID-19 vaccine on Saturday, March 6, in a live broadcast. This was disclosed by Dr Faisal Shuaib, the Executive Director/CEO, National Primary Health Care Development Agency, NPHCDA, on Monday at the Presidential Task Force (PTF) joint national briefing on COVID-19. This comes as the country is billed to receive four million doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines from India on Tuesday, DaiyTrust reports. Recall that Shuaib had on January 7, said Buhari, Vice President Osinbajo, the SGF and other prominent Nigerians would be among the first set of Nigerians...

Ghana Receives World’s First Free Covax Jab

1Mar

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

Covid-19, Ghana, News

Ghana Receives World’s First Free Covax Jab

President Nana Akufo-Addo of Ghana on Monday received coronavirus vaccine from Covax, a global scheme to procure and distribute inoculations for free for indigent countries. It made Ghana the first recipient of the COVID-19 vaccine globally. Since the discovery of vaccines for the deadly virus, richer countries have procured vaccines for their citizens while many poorer countries are still hopeful of receiving their first vaccine doses. “It is important that I set the example that this vaccine is safe by being the first to have it so that everybody in Ghana can feel comfortable about taking this vaccine,” Ghana’s president said before receiving a shot of Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine in a live broadcast. Also, the first lady Rebecca Akufo-Addo received a shot, one day before the r...