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March 8, 2021

Gambari, Marwa, Shehu receive COVID-19 vaccines

Uganda will import five million doses of AstraZeneca vaccines next month after the discovery of new COVID-19 variants in the country, President Yoweri Museveni has said. In a televised address to the nation late Friday, Museveni said the vaccines will be used to vaccinate at least 80 per cent of the 5.5 million elderly. People below 50 years, with underlying medical conditions that are at high risk of contracting the novel coronavirus, will also be vaccinated. Uganda targets to vaccinate more than 21.9 million people who face the highest risk of the infection, including the health workers, teachers, social workers and security personnel, elderly and those with underlying medical conditions. “The government is working hard to ensure we bring another five million doses of AstraZeneca vaccine before the end of May to complete the threshold vaccination and ensure that those vaccinated before getting the second booster dose,’’ said Museveni. “Vaccines are the most effective intervention we have against COVID-19. “The government and partners are working hard to bring vaccines to most adult Ugandans to protect them and to support us to reopen the economy and get back all our children to school.’’ Henry Mwebesa, Director-General of Health Services, last week said Uganda is scheduled to receive some two million more doses of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines in May through the COVAX facility. Uganda has so far received 964,000 doses of AstraZeneca vaccines from the COVAX vaccine sharing programme and the Indian government. As of April 16, a total of 220,893 people had been inoculated with the first jab of AstraZeneca vaccine against COVID-19, according to the Ministry of Health statistics. The country has reported the emergence of the highly transmissible COVID-19 variants which were first reported in Britain, South Africa and Nigeria. The ministry’s data showed that as of April 16, Uganda had registered a cumulative total of 41,340 confirmed COVID-19 cases, with 40,898 recoveries and 338 deaths.

By Johnbosco Agbakwuru

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari’s Chief of Staff, Professor Ibrahim Gambari, on Monday received the  Oxford/AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine.

Recall that some frontline health workers, President Buhari and Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, received theirs on Friday and Saturday respectively.

The public vaccination is to reassure Nigerians of the safety and the efficacy of the vaccines.

He was given the jab at exactly 10:28 am after e-registration and filling out of their vaccination card and sat for 15 minutes according to the routine of vaccination.

He was later presented with vaccination card by the Chief Medical Director of the State House Medical Centre, Dr. Husain Munir.

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The former military administrator of Lagos and Borno state, and Chairman/CEO of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Gen. Mohammed Buba Marwa (retd), also received his jab at 10:39am while the Permanent Secretary of the State House, Tijjani Umar, received his at 10:11:43am, while the the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, received his at 10:41am, while Dr. Munir handed them their vaccination card.

They were all given the vaccine by Chief Nursing Officer of the State House Clinic, Esther Ibrahim.

In his remarks, Gambari said the vaccination was painless and that he followed the foot steps of president Buhari who demonstrated leadership alongside his deputy receiving the jabs on Saturday.

He advised eligible Nigerians to take the vaccines assuring that its safe.

He added that the more Nigerians are vaccinated the more we are safe. Marwa, said the vaccine is painless and he feels good.

He congratulated Nigerians that the vaccines are now in Nigeria, he urged Nigerian to take the vaccine stressing that soon the country will be COVID-19 free.

Related News

Recall that the Federal Government had on Saturday hinted that getting COVID-19 vaccination could become a requirement for all international passengers as the fight against the killer infection gathers steam.

The Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, Mr. Boss Mustapha, said some countries have already started introducing restrictions for receiving visitors.

Vanguard News Nigeria

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