- Burna Boy’s Police Escorts Shoot Married Man After Singer Made Pass At Wife - June 12, 2022
- I’m Ashamed Of Ohanaeze, No Longer Believe In Body – Umahi Attacks Obiozor - June 12, 2022
- June 12: President Buhari’s Democracy Day Speech - June 12, 2022
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 to receive the vaccine.
He said it will assist to promote awareness of the virus and the vaccine administration in the country when it finally arrives.
He called on Nigerians not to be hesitant about the vaccines when they arrive.
According to Faisal, the first batch of the Oxford/AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, which is about 3,924,000 doses, is expected to arrive in Nigeria Tuesday, March 2 2021, at 11:10 am.
He assured Nigerians that all necessary safety and quality control measures had been put in place for the arrival, storage and successful administration of the vaccine in the country.
Faisal said there will be a mini to receive the vaccine at the VIP Protocol section, General Aviation Terminal of Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.
Afterwards, a few vials of the vaccines would be handed over to the NAFDAC team, which they would analyse for two days (Wednesday, March 3 and Thursday, March 4).
He said, “Further to the clearance by NAFDAC, the PTF, FMOH, NPHCDA and strategic leaders will be at the treatment centre of the National Hospital on Friday, March 5 2021, where the first vaccination site will be set up to commence the vaccination of the frontline health workers and support staff.
“These Staff would also be electronically registered in the COVID-19 vaccine database and would receive their COVID-19 vaccination card, which has a QR code that can be verified worldwide.
“On Saturday, March 6, key strategic leaders will receive the first dose of the vaccine,” Faisal said.
The NPHCDA boss said in collaboration with CACOVID; plans were on the ground for a cargo plane to transport the vaccines to the states by air.
According to him, states without a functional airport will have their vaccines transported by road using vans with fitted Cold Cabins from the nearest airport.
Shuaib said “The vaccines will be stored at the State Cold Stores, from where they will be transported by road to LGA Cold Stores.
“Once activities have commenced in the states, there would be strict monitoring by PTF, FMOH, NPHCDA and independent bodies such as EFCC, DSS, ICPC, and Civil Society Organisations.
“States/health facilities/health workers that are identified as defaulting from the standard protocol and guidelines for this phase of vaccination would be sanctioned.”
This post was written by Obiajulu Joel Nwolu.
The views expressed here belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect our views and opinions.