TheHILL. Edited by Henshaw NYONG.
One week after taking delivery of Covid-19 vaccines from Federal Government, Akwa Ibom State government, yesterday, lauded President Buhari for facilitating the entry of the inoculants into the country and sending its first batch to the oil rich State.
The State government gave the commendation during this week’s Executive Council meeting presided by Governor Udom Emmanuel on Tuesday at EXCO Chambers, Government House, Uyo.
Recall, TheHILL reported last Wednesday that Akwa Ibom took delivery of 69,030 doses of Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine from the Federal Government. According to the State’s Commissioner for Information and Strategy; Comrade Ini Ememobong, his counterpart in the Health Ministry; Prof. Augustine Vincent Umoh, received the inoculants on behalf of the state Government.
However, when on Tuesday, the Health Commissioner officially informed the EXCO that the flag off of the jab had been undertaken and was ongoing, the elated Governor Emmanuel who sat as the Chairman-in-Council, poured encomium on the Country’s number one citizen, acknowledging that the arrival of the vaccines was a significant step in the fight against the dreaded coronavirus in the State.
He directed that the vaccination exercise be executed in strict compliance with the protocol outlined by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) as well as the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHDA).
It was further directed that wide sensitisation be undertaken to mobilize indigenes and residents to receive the vaccines.
Meanwhile, despite a few controversy and misconception about the use of Oxford-AstraZeneca, health experts have confirmed that the vaccine is critical in the battle against COVID-19.
It is however believed that, with the arrival of the vaccine and subsequent administration, the hitherto acclivitous number of COVID-19 cases on admission in Akwa Ibom which was 478 in the early hours of Wednesday, 17th March, according to NCDC website, would be reduced to slavery.
