FG/WHO to Donate 20 million doses of vaccines annually
…Vaccination to begin in three States
In its bid to eradicate the dreaded yellow fever disease in the country, the World Health Organisation, WHO has said that it will donate 20 million doses of vaccines annually.
According to WHO Representative Fiona Braka, the second phase of the vaccination against the dreaded disease has already commenced in four states, Kogi, Kwara, Zamfara and Borno.
Braka, who emphasised that every effort must be geared towards containing the outbreak added that the campaign is targeting people between nine months to 45 years of age.
She said, “The global body is ready to assist the country in achieving the total vaccination of the populace in line with the Elimination of Yellow fever Epidemics (EYE) by 2026.
“The global community is committed to this course and has pledged 20 million doses available annually to achieve the target despite the global vaccine shortfall”.
It could be recalled that about 10.4 million people were vaccinated in the first phase of the exercise, which covered 20 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
The first outbreak was recorded in September 2017.
The Executive Secretary, National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Faisal Shuaib said that the global non availability of vaccines resulted in the plan to phase the campaign for the next nine years.
He said that all the states will be vaccinated in phases and a tentative plan to that effect has been approved by development partners.
He said about one million doses have been planned for utilisation in Borno during the campaign which has been slated for February, 5-14, 2018.
Doosuur Iwambe – Abuja
