Covid-19: Kwara Governor, Deputy, Health Workers Take First Jab of Vaccine

The Kwara State Governor Mallam AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has described the Oxford AstraZenica Vaccine as a “water shed in the fight against the pandemic”.

The Governor made this statement when he took a first jab of the COVID-19 Vaccine, which was administered on him by the chairman of the Kwara State Medical Advisory Committee, Dr. Demi Oladiji.

The Governor had earlier flagged off the vaccination exercise in Ilorin, the State capital, with front line health workers receiving their first jabs according to Federal government directives.

The Governor said “Earlier this week, we received our consignment of the COVID-19 Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine. The consignment contains exactly 55,790 doses and devices. That is our share of the first batch of the vaccine. Today’s flag off of the vaccination in Kwara State clearly represents an important phase in our management of the COVID-19 pandemic”.

“The vaccine comes well recommended by various medical regulatory bodies in Nigeria and beyond. The decision for leaders to take the first jabs is to build public confidence in the vaccine and erase whatever doubts members of the public may have about it. COVID-19 is real. We are glad to be getting over it with the development of this vaccine”.

The Vaccination kickoff was attended by top government functionaries and dignitaries, which include Deputy Governor Kayode Alabi; House of Assembly Speaker Rt. Hon. Yakubu Danladi; House of Assembly Committee Chairman on Health AbdulRazaq Owolabi; and Emir  of Shonga Dr Haliru Yahya.

The Governor also commended President Muhammadu Buhari for his exemplary leadership and the entire team that played active roles in the ongoing battle against the pandemic in the country.

The representative of the World Health Organization(WHO), Pharmacist Katibi Mustapha assured the gathering of the vaccine’s safety, adding that it has been certified by WHO and NAFDAC.

Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health Dr Abubakar Olayiwola Ayinla said the early kickoff of the vaccination in Kwara mirrors its current leadership status in the health status as only a few states have met the requirements to receive the vaccines from Abuja.

Also speaking, Dr. Nusirat Elelu, Executive Secretary of the Kwara State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, said the event was another milestone in the national response to the fight against Covid-19 pandemic.

She further explained that”

“The Covid-19 vaccination campaign will be conducted in 4 phases. For phase one, we are targeting our health workers, other front liners, and our strategic leaders. The campaign will last for 10 days and will be given in two doses at 12 weeks interval”.

Furthermore, The Emir of Shonga, Dr Haliru Yahaya submitted that “”Advocacy for this vaccine is even tougher than the advocacy for the Covid-19. If you don’t believe something is wrong with you how can I give you treatment? So we need to convince our people that to take it is better than not taking it. And for those of you who are traveling, if you don’t take it, sooner or later they are going to ask for your certificate, even for pilgrimages”.

The earliest front line medical workers to receive vaccination were the chairman Medical Advisory Committee on Covid19, Dr Femi Oladiji; Prof. Tanimola Akande and Dr Kudirat Lambe, the lead doctor at the Kwara state Infectious disease Hospital.