The Federal Government of Nigeria has said that a total number of 4,680,000 Nigerians across the country has received the Covid-19 vaccination as at September 24, 2021.

This was disclosed by the Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Dr Faisal Shuaib during the South-South Zonal town hall meeting on COVID-19 vaccination held in Benin by the Presidential Steering Committee on COVID-19, in collaboration with NPHCDA and supported by the Edo State government.

Shuaib said that out of the 4,680,000 million vaccinated Nigerians, about 1,865,127 were fully vaccinated with the two doses, noting that the figure was below the nation’s target of reaching herd immunity and could prevents the country from returning to normal living.

“I would like to encourage us to use our good offices to encourage eligible members of our community to visit the nearest designated health facility to receive the vaccine. All the vaccines are currently available in designated vaccination sites across the country and are safe and effective,” he said.

According to him, the agency plan to gradually involve the private sector as sites for COVID-19 vaccination, the federal government will set up a Joint Task Force on COVID-19 vaccine for monitoring and accountability in collaboration with the security agencies.

The Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire had earlier said that the town hall was organised to discuss COVID-19 vaccination, address mutual concerns and reach a consensus to ensure citizens are safe and protected against the deadly Coronavirus.

 Ekhanire, mentioned that Nigeria had so far lost 2000 of her citizens to COVID-19 adding that, the virus has also crashed the nation GDP. He explained that the federal government needs to vaccinate 70 percent of the populations to effectively curb the spread of the virus.

He disclosed that the federal government is working with the private sectors for the production of vaccine in the country.

According to the minister, observation had shown that over 90 percent of deaths recorded from COVID-19 were from unvaccinated persons. 

Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki, represented by his Chief of Staff, Osaigbovo Iyokha, said that the State targets to vaccinate 60 percent of the population, but has so far vaccinated over 130,000 residents against the virus.