The Federal Government has appealed to the striking resident doctors to go back to work in order to help tackle the current health issues being faced in the country.
The Secretary to the Government of the Federation Boss Mustapha made the appeal on Monday at the flag off of the second phase of the COVID-19 vaccination in Abuja.
Boss Mustapha who is also the Chairman Presidential Steering Committee on COVID-19 said the appeal became imperative due to the current health issues the country is grappling with which include the Cholera outbreak as well as the COVID-19 pandemic ravaging the world.
He however assured Nigerians of the Federal Government’s commitment to unhindered access to the COVID-19 vaccines noting that the government will continue to invest in accepted and effective vaccines.
He said it is the responsibility of Nigerians to register and get vaccinated so that they can achieve the desired hard immunity of vaccinating at least 70 percent of Nigeria’s eligible population.
The SGF cautioned Nigerians to minimise all non essential international travels by land, air or sea especially to countries that are showing rising numbers of COVID-19 cases and deaths.
He said restrictions has been placed on travelers from Brazil, India, South Africa and Turkey into Nigeria in line with the country’s travel guidelines.
He warned that individuals, transporters and airlines who flout the COVID-19 guidelines shall be sanctioned.
He said soon vaccine producing countries will begin to make vaccinations mandatory when they are able to vaccinate a substantial number of their population.
Mustapha further urge all vaccinated Nigerians to continue to adhere to all non Pharmaceutical procedures until all eligible Nigerians has been vaccinated to achieve hard immunity.
Meanwhile the Minister of Health Dr. Osagie Ehanire at the event said Nigeria is working on being a production site for vaccines adding that the Federal government is working with eminent Nigerians and the National Assembly to get the resources which he said would involve technology transfer and considerable investment from countries with which they are already in touch with.
He also said the government has continued to strengthen measures to protect lives and livelihoods and to mitigate the impact of this diseases hence the need for the vaccination.
He disclosed that the country has not lost anyone who has taken the vaccine since the commencement of vaccination in Nigeria adding that although there has been minor complains he noted that non of them has been fatal.
Dr. Ehanire therefore appealed to Nigerians to continue to work together to bring an end to this pandemic by coming out to take the vaccines as he says it is important for everyone.
Health TV had earlier reported that on August 2nd, Nigeria received four million doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccines donated by the United States government.
A total of 177,600 doses of Johnson and Johnson single-shot vaccine was also received on August 12th from the African Union which the Federal government said will be used in the rural environment.
