The Kogi State government on Monday night took delivery of about 16, 900 doses of the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine.
The administering is to be flagged off in the state on Tuesday.
The Executive Director, Kogi State Primary Health Care Development Agency (KSPHCDA), Dr Abubakar Yakubu, led a team of officials from the agency and the Kogi Ministry of Health to take delivery of the vaccines at the National Programme on Immunisation (NPI) Unit of the Central Medical Store, Lokoja.
Speaking to newsmen shortly after taking delivery of the vaccines, Yakubu said that the COVID-19 vaccines arrived Kogi from Abuja around 7:40 pm.
”We have about 16,900 doses of the vaccines, and by tomorrow, Tuesday, we hope to flag off the campaign in the ministry of health.
”The first line of recipients of the vaccines will be the health workers; to be demonstrated on Tuesday by 12 noon at the ministry.
“This will be followed by the frontline essential non health workers like the police, military, NSCDC, Custom men among others,” he said.
He said that the ministry intends to carry out the campaign as efficiently as they could, because the state was a little behind schedule, compared to other states, who have almost completed the 10-day mandatory campaign for the administration of the vaccines.
He noted that the state expected about 45,000 doses of the vaccines from NPHCDA, accounting for one percent of the total population of Kogi State.
”But to our surprise, we are being supplied with 16,900 doses now. I think there will be further reconciliation to send the balance of the doses as soon as possible,” he said.
The Kogi State Health Promotion Officer, Alhaji Acheku Yusuf, said the ministry had solicited the support of all relevant stakeholders, and running jingles to ensure adequate sensitisation.
Mrs. Bilikisu Adagiri, the state Cold Chain Officer, said Kogi is prepared for the administration of the vaccines to people above 18 years.
