The Federal Government, on Tuesday, said most Nigerians were reluctant to take the second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine due to the fear of side effects, which they experienced after taking the first dose.
It also stated that the Johnson and Johnson vaccine had now been made available for all eligible Nigerians.
The Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire, disclosed this during a press briefing in Abuja.
Ehanire appreciated the efforts of state governments and development partners for their help in making sure that the country embarked on the process of mass vaccination.
He also stated that the country reported a significant decline in childhood routine immunisation due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The minister said, “The COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria, just as elsewhere in the world, has negatively impacted all aspects of life, including childhood routine immunisation. While battling to contain COVID-19 through the rollout of vaccines, we recorded a significant decline in routine immunisation and other basic primary health care services’ uptake in the country.
“In November 2021, the National Primary Health Care Development Agency introduced the SCALES strategy to rapidly ramp up COVID-19 vaccine coverage by expanding access to COVID-19 vaccines outside the health facility. Mass vaccination sites have been established at public places such as markets, parks, shopping malls, schools, mosques and churches. SCALES is an acronym for service delivery, communication, accountability, logistics, electronic reporting and supportive supervision for the ongoing COVID-19 vaccination.
“Although the SCALES strategy has proven to be quite effective in ramping up COVID-19 vaccination coverage, the proportion of fully vaccinated Nigerians is still very low, partly because we have been using the two-dose vaccines.
“Unfortunately, most people are reluctant to take their second dose for various reasons, including the fear of a repeat of the mild side effects they might have experienced with the first dose. The Federal Government, through the NPHCDA, continues to strive to make COVID-19 vaccination more accessible to the people. I am glad that every Nigerian can now be guided to the nearest COVID-19 vaccination site from the comfort of their homes and from their phones.”
The minister added that the government would ensure that Nigeria did not become a fertile ground for the outbreak of childhood diseases that were preventable by vaccines by rapidly increasing routine immunisation.
Ehanire added, “Here is a unique opportunity to leverage the SCALES strategy using COVID-19 vaccination structures and resources to improve routine immunisation coverage with improved efficiency and reduced duplication of efforts by health care workers.”
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