COVID-19: Anambra Commences Second Phase Of Vaccination
The second phase of COVID-19 vaccination kicked off in Anambra on Tuesday. Dr Chioma Ezenyimulu, the Executive Secretary/ CEO, Anambra State Primary Health Care Development Agency (ANPHDA,) who spoke at a ceremony to mark the commencement of the vaccination exercise, said 71,892 doses of two brands of vaccines were available.
He said the doses included 58,100 of Moderna vaccine and 13,792 of AstraZeneca vaccine.
Ezenyimulu said Anambra received 78,810 doses of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine in March for the first phase of the vaccination.
She said, “since then we have vaccinated 62,167 Anambra people for first and second doses, representing 98 per cent of the target population.
The executive secretary said the speedy discovery of COVID-19 vaccines and the subsequent mass vaccination campaigns in countries around the world have drastically reduced morbidity and mortality of the disease.
“It is hoped that as we begin today to vaccinate the rest of the population, aged 18 years and above, we shall achieve the much needed herd immunity to ward off the rampaging virus, especially its deadly Delta variant.
“It is worthy of note that a large percentage of people infected with the disease have recovered,” she said.
Ezenyimulu decried the shortage of manpower and called on Gov. Willie Obiano to employ more health workers for effective service delivery.
She said a total of 332 Primary Health Centres had started accessing their funds quarterly and experiencing positive changes in their infrastructure and equipment.
She thanked Obiano for supporting the health sector by making Anambra qualify for the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) which is one per cent of the consolidated revenue of the federation.
“Under BHCPF, we have also engaged 60 midwives for our primary health centres to fill the gaps temporarily in our health workforce.
“We need your urgent intervention Your Excellency in the employment of health workers because our staff keep retiring without being replaced,” he said.
Obiano, who inaugurated the vaccination exercise, urged Anambra residents to embrace vaccination as it enhances immunity of people.
Source:- Vanguard