COVID-19: Buhari tells Nigerians to take vaccine, after getting jab

President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo have publicly received their doses of the AstraZeneca-Oxford COVID-19 vaccine.

Both were administered their jabs, on Saturday morning, at the Banquet Hall of the presidential villa, Abuja at a ceremony broadcast live on national television.

Their inoculation followed their e-registration and filling out of their vaccination cards by the Executive Director of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Faisal Shuaib.

Vaccination of Buhari was done by Chief Personal Physician to the President, Dr Suhayb Rafindadi.

While Osinbajo was also vaccinated by his personal physician, Dr Nicholas Audifferen.

The Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, explained that the jab is painless as a narrow gauge syringe was used with a small quantity injected in the upper arm.

He added that the after-effects are mild but accompanied by little discomfort in the area that was injected.

Present at the brief ceremony were the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) Mr Boss Mustapha; Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed; the Chief of Staff to the President, Professor Ibrahim Gambari and other members of the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19, senior government officials and journalists.

Following his receipt of the vaccine, Buhari described his decision to take the vaccine in public as ‘‘a demonstration of leadership and faith in the safety and efficacy of the vaccines.’’

‘‘I have received my first jab and I wish to commend it to all eligible Nigerians, to do same so that we can be protected from the virus,’’ he said.

He urged all state governments, traditional and religious leaders, to take the lead in the mobilization effort within their environment and spheres of influence.

Buhari added: ‘‘The vaccine offers hope for a safe country, free of Coronavirus.

‘‘I similarly urge all eligible Nigerians to present themselves and be vaccinated in accordance with the order of priority already mapped out, at the various authorized designated centres only.”

President Buhari congratulated the PTF on COVID-19 on the successful multi-sectoral approach to the management of the pandemic.

He also acknowledged and commended the support of Governments, donors, development partners, the private sector, traditional and religious leaders as well as critical stakeholders who have supported Nigeria’s response to the pandemic, assuring that all the resources will be equitably administered.

According to him, since the beginning of the year 2020, humanity had remained under the burden of the COVID-19 pandemic, an unseen but very potent enemy around the world.

The president further stated: ‘‘Infection from the virus has resulted in over two million and five hundred thousand fatalities and destroyed several global and national systems.

‘‘The response in Nigeria and the ECOWAS sub-region has been robust, collaborative and united. It was driven by a collective knowledge of the fact that no country is safe until every country is safe.’’

‘‘The speedy development of the COVID-19 vaccines is quite significant and underscores the collective resolve of humanity to overcome the pandemic.

‘‘Similarly, the collaborative effort to ensure equal access has brought relief to poor and developing countries,’’ he said.

Buhari noted the assurance by the PTF that the AstraZeneca vaccine which Nigeria has accessed would arrive in batches beginning with the four million doses already received.

He affirmed that the rollout and administration plan would cater for over seventy per cent of Nigeria’s population in 2021 and 2022.

The COVID-19 national vaccine programme commenced, on Friday, with the vaccination of healthcare and frontline workers at the National Hospital, Abuja.

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