COVID-19: Nigeria to vaccinate 70% citizens end of 2022

The Federal Government is prepared to vaccinate 70 per cent of the Nigerian population before the end of 2022.

The Chairman of the Presidential Steering Committee on COVID-19, Mr Boss Mustapha, gave the assurance in Abuja on Monday.

Mustapha, also the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), spoke at Nigeria’s COVID-19 Summit 2021.

He said: “We are now in the era of vaccines and non-pharmaceutical intervention measures. We need to encourage all eligible persons to get vaccinated and keep observing washing of hands, wearing of face masks, keeping physical distance and avoiding crowded areas.

“Nigeria has invested in vaccines that can cover over 70 per cent of our population before the end of 2022. These vaccines are safe and efficacious; it is better and safer to be vaccinated against this virus, now,” he said.

The SGF said that the summit promised to be rewarding.

“At the end, we are expected to have carried out the following: review of the country’s COVID-19 response from February 2020 to November 2021 to identify successes, gaps and lessons to be learnt; identify resources and develop strategies that will actualise the country’s expressed international commitments toward ending COVID-19 by 31st December, 2022,” he said.

According to him, the others are development of an accountability framework for COVID-19 response and health security in Nigeria and synthesizing the blueprint for Nigeria’s recovery from the pandemic.

Mustapha added that the other expectations were articulation of actionable recommendations to President Muhammadu Buhari on the governance structure, resources and policies needed to end COVID-19 in Nigeria by Dec. 31, 2022.

He said that the recommendations would include how to rebuild the health system and the economy for better response to future threats.

On Nigeria’s COVID-19 response, the SGF said: “It has been driven by science, data and experience since then till date.

“The national response has been driven by a multi-sectoral process which facilitated expansive and in-depth consideration of issues as well as speedy decision-making. The process enjoyed the overwhelming support of partners from the private sector and the international community.

“Through these partners, Nigeria was able to put in place critical infrastructure nationwide, procure scarce medical equipment, test kits and personal protective materials,” he said.

The summit was themed “Pushing through the Last Mile to End the Pandemic and Build Back Better” and was a gathering of key actors in the health, economic, security and policy-making sectors of the country.

(Vanguard)