Frontline health workers have begun receiving their COVID-19 jabs in the first round of vaccinations by the Kebbi State Government, according to the state Commissioner for Health, Alhaji Muhammad Ja’afar.
Launching the vaccination exercise in Birnin Kebbi, on Monday, Ja’afar said the state had taken delivery of 57,810 doses of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines from the Federal Government, through the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Abuja.
Ja’afar said that the vaccines had a successful launch in the state and had been well received by key stakeholders in the state, sequel to the intensive and all-inclusive campaign earlier undertaken by the government to ensure its success.
He gave the assurance that the vaccines were safe and that the frontline healthcare workers were the first to receive them.
“After the frontline staff, other health workers, strategic political leaders of the three tiers of government, traditional and religious leaders, and other frontline workers such as the media, security agencies, bank officials and citizens of the state would take their turns,” he said.
The commissioner urged the health workers, in the various health facilities in the state, to ensure they were innoculated to ensure the success of the exercise.
Also speaking, Kebbi State Coordinator, National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Akuso Yahaya, observed that COVID-19 vaccine was a necessity for everyone.
He disclosed that Kebbi state was among the last five states to flag off its exercise.
“It is not by accident, the state government wants to ensure that all stakeholders are carried along. This vaccine is free and safe for all to take,” Yahaya said.
Earlier, the Executive Secretary of the state Primary Healthcare Development Agency (PHCDA), Dr Abubakar Ka’oje, said the launch of the COVID–19 vaccination was a long- awaited activity.
“A lot of us have being asking the question as to when the campaign will start in the state. We deemed it expedient to embark on a series of sensitisation campaigns before the commencement of the vaccination.
“During the period, we were able to reach out to important stakeholders in the state; and I want to let you know that the acceptance has increased significantly. We are going to surprise even those states that started before us,” Ka’oje said. ( NAN)
