By Lawrence Nwimo
The Anambra State Government has begun administration of the Phase 2 second Dose of COVID-19 Vaccines and Outbreak Response One (OBR1) to protect the state residents, Orient Daily reports.
This was made known by the State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Vincent Okpala while addressing journalists at the State Secretariat Awka, Anambra State.
He said the second dose of COVID-19 vaccination takes place at the 72 posts spread across the 21 local government areas of the State, adding that the exercise covers Wednesday 6th to Monday 25th October, 2021.
The Commissioner explained that the phase two dose exercise would ensure disruption of any resurgent COVID-19 transmission in the state. He also said the exercise would accommodate adults who received first dose of Moderna COVID-19 vaccine, Health workers, senior citizens and those who recovered from previous record of COVID-19 infection.
” We are here today to mark the commencement of the second dose of phase 2 COVID – 19 vaccination using Moderna and AstraZeneca.
As usual, we planned and embarked on several activities that include pre – implementation, implementation and post implementation activities to ensure that challenges witnessed during the first dose COVID-19 vaccination are addressed.
“The vaccination will commence effectively from Wednesday 6th October to Monday 25th October, 2021 and will be at designated health facilities.”
Dr. Vincent Okpala (middle), Dr. Chioma Ezenyimulu ( 4th left), Mrs Uju Onwugbuesi (3rd left), Chukwumuanya Igboekwu (3rd right) and others, Wednesday.
The commissioner disclosed that the First dose of Phase 2 COVID-19 Vaccination garnered maximum success as individuals totaling 22,869 and 11,992 were vaccinated using the Moderna and Astrazeneca vaccines, respectively and advised the public to disregard cheap social media propaganda aimed against the vaccines.
Speaking further, Okpala said the Outbreak Response Campaign For Circulating Vaccine Derived Polio Virus Type 2 (cVDPV2) would last between Wednesday 6th – Saturday 9th October, 2021.
According to him, the polio response exercise would ensure administration of Novel Oral Polio Vaccine (nOPV) for children aged 0-59 months to interrupt the circulating vaccine derived Polio virus and reduce the burden of other childhood killer diseases.
The commissioner blamed low immunization rate as major cause of polio attacks on children and advised parents to avail their wards the opportunity to benefit from the provisions of the state government.
Earlier, ASPHCDA Executive Secretary, Dr. Chioma Ezenyimulu, noted that no fewer than 80,000 individuals, benefited in the first phase exercise using the Moderna and AstraZeneca vaccines.
She reiterated that the state is not moved by the country’s certification as wild polio free in the African region, adding that actions still need to be intensified to ensure that no room is given to the polio vaccine derived virus that poses threat of paralysis to the children.
Meanwhile, World Health Organization State Coordinator, Chukwumuanya Igboekwu, commended the State health management bidies for prompt planning and timely implementation of the second dose of the vaccination and polio response, respectively.
He maintained that the federal government, agencies and other supporting bodies had planned sequential implementation of outbreak response to eliminate future chances of any virus in the country. He also said, “the first outbreak response (OBR1) would be trailed by the second outbreak response (OBR2) at month intervals to enable eligible children gain two doses of the facility. “
Also present at the flag off was the State Health Educator, Anambra State Primary Health Care Development Agency, Mrs Uju Onwugbuesi.