Afrigather 
Abuja, 7 March, 2023 – “Being contaminated with COVID-19 will not be an expertise I want to relive or want on others but to contract the illness, which was the rationale I took the COVID-19 vaccine as quickly because it was obtainable to the general public as a result of defending myself is defending my family members,” says Yecenu Sesetu, a journalist within the Federal Capital Territory ( FCT, Abuja), Nigeria.
Narrating her expertise, Ms Sesetu says she contracted COVID-19 in June 2020, when the nation witnessed its first wave of the pandemic.
“I had nearly all of the signs – physique ache, fever, cough, tiredness, headache, lack of odor and style, however was fortunate I had no shortness of breath and didn’t require oxygen.
The signs didn’t all come without delay, the lack of style and odor got here final, and as a well being reporter actively reporting the outbreak, I suspected it was COVID-19 and went for a COVID-19 take a look at, she explains.”
Upon receiving a name from a well being employee from Nationwide Reference Laboratory that her COVID-19 outcome was optimistic, Ms Sesetu says she turned distraught.
“The stress and anxiousness have been difficult as a result of I used to be frightened about infecting my household as my therapy was home-based. The bodily ache and psychological trauma have been unexplainable, and I wakened one morning and thought it was time to jot down my will.
Ms Sesetu believes luck was on her facet as a result of she didn’t develop issues requiring oxygen or admission to the isolation centre.
Preserve getting vaccinated
As a reporter, she knew scientists have been creating vaccines to fight the illness and ready to obtain the vaccine as quickly because it was made obtainable to the general public.
Ms Sesetu says “I took two doses of AstraZeneca and a booster dose of Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines, and I can inform you that the facet impact of the COVID-19 vaccine is minimal in comparison with contracting COVID-19 as a result of I additionally skilled some negative effects after taking the primary dose. Immunization saves lives and is among the greatest items we may give our family members getting vaccinated”.
To enhance the uptake of COVID-19 vaccination within the nation, the federal government and its companions, together with the WHO, are implementing varied modern methods, resembling SCALES companies, to make the COVID-19 vaccine accessible to Nigerians, with a excessive focus on the weak inhabitants and residents of rural areas.
The SCALES technique, ( now 3.0) is a scientific integration of COVID-19 vaccination with different well being services- to quickly speed up COVID-19 vaccine protection.
SCALES is an acronym for Service supply, Communication, Accountability, Logistics, Digital administration of immunization knowledge and supportive supervision.
In Gwagwa village, Federal Capital Territory (FCT), a healthcare employee/vaccinator, Mrs Jummai David, concerned within the out of doors vaccination outreach, says folks reluctant to obtain the COVID-19 vaccine when it was rolled out are actually receiving it.
Mrs Jumai says “each time we exit on outreach, a minimum of ten people who find themselves but to obtain any dose of the vaccine obtain it. The train has introduced vaccination nearer to the folks.
We nonetheless encounter some circumstances of hesitancy on the sphere, and we enlighten them that there isn’t any hurt in taking the COVID-19 vaccines”.
Removed from over
Again to Ms Sesetu, her recommendation to folks but to obtain their doses is that they need to accomplish that to guard themselves, their family members and all people round them, as a result of COVID-19 is way from over.
Nigeria recorded its first case of COVID-19 on 27 February 2020, and from then to 12 February 2023, Nigeria has recorded 266,287 confirmed circumstances with 3,155 deaths. (Figures from NCDC knowledge centre).
As of 02 March 2023, a complete of 68,901,179 (59.4%) of the eligible inhabitants (18 years and above) are totally vaccinated forming 28.7% of the full inhabitants whereas 80,243,556 (69.2%) eligible inhabitants have been vaccinated with a minimum of 1 dose forming 33.4% of the full inhabitants, with 12,114,360 (17.6%) of totally vaccinated individuals have up to now obtained booster dose.
In the meantime, a complete of 115,256,428 doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been administered since Nigeria started COVID-19 vaccination in March 2021.
Marking the third anniversary of the primary COVID-19 case within the World Well being Group (WHO) African Area, the WHO Nation Consultant (WR) to Nigeria, Dr Walter Kazadi Mulombo, says it’s a well-known proven fact that if we get vaccinated, we’re defending ourselves, our youngsters and our households. Thus, everybody and in every single place ought to have entry to COVID-19 vaccines.
He provides that the actual fact is that COVID-19 continues to be with us and everybody ought to be part of fingers to mobilise our communities, our youngsters and our mates to be vaccinated.
Moreover, WHO continues to assist the Nigerian Authorities with technical management and coordination of COVID-19 vaccination, together with real-time vaccination knowledge administration, infodemic administration and proof era to help demand era, supportive supervision, Adversarial Occasion Following Immunization (AEFI) surveillance and funding assist for cost of stipends and logistics for vaccination crew members throughout the States. and procurement of COVID-19 vaccination objects.
To attain herd immunity in opposition to COVID-19, Nigeria is aiming at vaccinating a minimum of 70% (according to the World Well being Group (WHO ) international goal) of the full eligible inhabitants with full doses by March 2023.
Technical Contacts:
Dr Okamura, Mie; E-mail: okamuram [at] who.int
Dr Ofoli Joshua; E-mail: ofolij [at] who.int
