The Enugu State Primary Health Care Development Agency (ENS-PHCDA) says the state has “completely exhausted’’ all 65,400 doses of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine meant for the first phase of vaccination.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the state government on March 8, received 65,400 doses of the vaccine from the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Abuja, and vaccination began across the state on March 19.
The Executive Secretary of ENS-PHCDA, Dr George Ugwu, told NAN in Enugu on Wednesday that the state exhausted all its doses on July 5, in all its vaccination centres.
Ugwu noted that with the successful completion and closure of first phase of COVID-19 vaccination, the state was eagerly awaiting more supply of the vaccines from NPHCDA and its partners.
“The vaccination of the first phase of COVID-19 vaccine doses was a huge success as we gave out 100 per cent of what we got and achieved 100 per cent rate of intended coverage target.
“The vaccination completion in record time is an indication of our Agency and the state government capacity to deliver on national vaccination mandates within a short space of time.
“First, we mapped out an efficient delivery mode, cold chain provision and new ideas to ensure mass participation, acceptance and reach for all eligible recipient of the doses in the state.
“The Agency received tremendous moral, physical (practical taking of ones doses in the public) and financial support from Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, who became our number one COVID-19 Vaccine Ambassador/Campaigner.
“As Gov. Ugwuanyi led the way, many other well meaning and enlightened people within the state followed to reach out to our people on the need to safeguard themselves against COVID-19,’’ he said.
The executive secretary said: “The state through the Agency took an encompassing measure to see that everyone that got the first jab or dose completes it by taking the second jab as well.
“We virtually made phone calls and sent text messages to everyone who had taken his or her first jab to come for the second.
“We set up super-sites for vaccination in each council area, had a state super-site for cross state vaccination purposes in Enugu, and deployed mobile vaccination team, notwithstanding fixed and temporary post vaccination points.
“We used political, opinion, traditional and religious leaders as well as media for mass enlightenment and reach even at interpersonal levels to deliver the campaign on how safe and efficacious the COVID-19 vaccine is.’’
Ugwu noted that the Agency was awaiting more doses of the COVID-19 vaccines for the second phase to get more residents protected and check community spread of the pandemic.
“We are hopeful that the next batch of vaccines will be delivered late July or early August and we will kick-start the second phase of vaccine to protect our people,’’ he said.
He noted that in the entire process of the vaccination no adverse side effect was noticed from any of those that received the dose in the state.
NAN recalls that the ENS-PHCDA deployed 102 well-trained vaccination teams for the exercise. (NAN)
