Masari, Fintiri, Ganduje take first shots
Katsina, Taraba, Kebbi and Zamfara have joined the league of northern states that have taken delivery of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine. The three states received 276,564 doses.
While Katsina received 107,504 doses, Taraba got 56,250 doses, Kebbi got 57,810 and Zamfara got 55,000. In Katsina, the vaccine arrived through the Umaru Musa Yar’Adua International Airport about 10p.m. on Wednesday, and was moved to the state’s cold chain store for safe-keeping.
Governor Aminu Masari; his deputy, Mannir Yakubu; commissioners and some health workers received shots of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine yesterday.
Masari’s personal physician, Dr. Nafi’u Sabi’u, administered the vaccine on him at the Presidential Lodge. After receiving the jab, the governor said “with the vaccine, the end of COVID-19 has come” and the use of facemask would soon be a thing of the past. IT was jubilation in Taraba yesterday over the arrival of the vaccine.
Health workers, who could not hide their joy during the presentation of the vaccine at the premises of Taraba State Primary Health Care Development Agency (TSPHCDA), said the vaccines would further spur them to carry out their assigned duties to the people. Executive Secretary of TSPHCDA, Alhaji Aminu Jauro, said the vaccines were meant for the frontline workers across the state.
The state’s Director, Immunisation and Disease Control, Dr. Kenneth TiJos, said the vaccines would go a long way in protecting a sizable number of health workers across the state. KEBBI State Commissioner for Health, Ja’afaru Ahmed, said the vaccine would be given to people free.
Addressing journalists yesterday at the Malaria Store Centre, Birnin Kebbi, he disclosed that the vaccine would be given to the frontline workers such as health workers, traditional rulers and journalists before any other individual.
Jafaru, who added that the vaccine would be shared to the local councils of the state, assured the public that everyone would benefit from the vaccine.
ZAMFARA State Commissioner for Health, Yahaya Kanoma, disclosed this to newsmen yesterday that the vaccine would cover 27,000 people for two rounds.
He explained that vaccination would begin with frontline groups who deal with the general public such as civil servants, teachers, journalists and commercial drivers.
MEANWHILE, Governor Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa State has taken his first jab, asking residents to decide on whether to take the vaccine or not. He said: “Taking COVID-19 vaccine is important but not compulsory.”
The governor, while fielding questions from newsmen shortly after taking the jab at the Yola Specialist Hospital yesterday, said the vaccine would reduce the threat posed by the dreaded virus.
ALSO, Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State took his first jab of Astrazeneca vaccine yesterday, signalling the campaign to flush out the deadly virus.
Ganduje, who led the process at the state-owned Murtala Mohammed Specialist Hospital, was inoculated by his personal physician, Dr. Fakhraddeen Muhammad.
He called on the public to cooperate with health officials in the exercise, assuring that the state would not relent in making sure that COVID-19 was tamed in the state.
