By Andy Ezugwu, Nsukka
The Enugu State Government has flagged-off the second phase of the administration of AstraZeneca and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines on the people of the State, in collaboration with Development Partners.
The flag-off ceremony which took place at the ESUT Teaching Hospital, Parklane, Enugu, was performed on behalf of Gov Ugwuanyi by his Deputy, Hon Mrs Cecilia Ezeilo, who conveyed the governor’s message, enjoining the people of Enugu State to get vaccinated and also observe the non-Pharmaceutical methods of preventing the spread of the virus, such as; wearing of facemasks, regular washing of hands with soap and running water and observing of social/physical distancing protocol, among others.
In his address, the Executive Secretary, Enugu State Primary Health Care Development Agency (ENSPHCDA), Dr George Ugwu, revealed that the State government achieved 100 percent coverage in the first phase of the AstraZeneca Vaccination.
Dr Ugwu disclosed that the State government has received 60, 060 doses of Moderna vaccines to take care of those who did not receive COVID-19 vaccination in the first phase.
The Executive Secretary added that 13, 416 doses of AstraZeneca Vaccines were also received by the State government to complete the second dose for citizens who previously got only first dose, during the first phase of the exercise.
He pointed out that Gov Ugwuanyi’s administration has trained 1, 200 health workers who will ensure effective coverage of the second phase of the vaccination in all the designated Primary Health Centres (PHCs) and General Hospitals across the 17 Local Government Areas of the State.
The ENS-PHCDA boss, who added that some mobile health teams will visit churches and markets to ensure that every citizen is reached, maintained the all 17 LGAs have effective cold-chain mechanisms that preserve the vaccines to sustain their efficacy.
Dr Ugwu therefore expressed delight that Gov. Ugwuanyi’s unrelenting efforts in the fight against the pandemic as well as his special interest in the provision of quality, accessible and affordable healthcare delivery services to the people of the State were largely responsible for the remarkable feats recorded in the first phase of the vaccination exercise.
Speaking at the event, the Commissioner for Health, Dr Emmanuel Ikechukwu Obi, reiterated the safety of the vaccines and urged those who have not been vaccinated or completed the second dosage in the first phase to do so, accordingly.
In their separate goodwill messages, the State’s Coordinator, National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Sir Philip Ugwueze, his World Health Organization (WHO), counterpart, Dr Ada Erinne and Chief of Field Officer, UNICEF, Enugu, Dr Ibrahim Conte, commended Gov Ugwuanyi’s administration for his untiring commitment towards the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic and other public health challenges in the State, urging residents to take advantage of the second phase of the vaccination to get vaccinated and be protected from the dreaded disease.