Health
Despite the criticisms that trailed the Covid-19 vaccination mandate of the federal government, officials of the government went ahead to enforce it on December 1, 2021 and many of the federal workers were seen queuing up at various vaccination centres to receive the jabs.
By Anthony Isibor.
APART from ensuring that more Nigerians are vaccinated against the coronavirus and the enforcement of its Covid-19 vaccination mandate, the federal government has reviewed its protocol of travels, especially in view of the outbreak of the new variant known as Omicron.
Before the outbreak of Omicron, Boss Mustapha, Chairman of the Presidential Steering Committee on COVID-19 and Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, had announced during a news briefing in Abuja that “With effect from 1st December 2021, federal government employees shall be required to show proof of Covid-19 vaccination, or present a negative Covid-19 PCR test result done within 72 hours to gain access to their offices in all locations within Nigeria and our Missions.”
Mustapha said that the vaccination mandate of the federal government was in the best interest of Nigerians, stating that there was evidence to support the fact that “if you are fully vaccinated, the effect of COVID-19 won’t be much on you”.
“But that is not the same with unvaccinated people. There are higher chances of survival if a fully vaccinated person comes down with COVID-19.
“However, those who have not taken the vaccine are a threat to the safety of other people who have been fully vaccinated and possibly share same public places with them by virtue of being colleagues. There’s a higher risk of them infecting other people, and that’s what we want to avoid. In addition to that, we want to secure the health of others who share the same public spaces,” he added
Mustapha also revealed that the combined total for testing by PCR and RDT stood at about 3.141, 795 million persons as at October 2021.
Figures released by the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, NPHCDA, also showed that only 3% of the eligible population have been fully vaccinated, a paltry achievement compared to 50% that the federal government had earlier set for itself to vaccinate 55 million residents by the end of January 2022, which is just a month away.
The federal government also insisted that it has enough vaccines and assured of the flow of high quality vaccines from many sources to meet its target, including the revelation by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, that Nigeria is closer to beginning the production of its own vaccines having met the recommendations listed by the World Health Organization, WHO, for Maturity Level 3 status for the production of Covid-19 vaccine in the country.
But these assurances and warnings did not stop some Nigerians from criticizing the federal government’s decision to enforce the compulsory vaccination. However, reports have shown that federal government workers have been trooping out to receive the Covid-19 vaccine in designated centres across the country in compliance with the DEC. 1, 2021 deadline.
According to local media reports, civil servants have since Wednesday been sighted queuing outside the maintain gate of the Federal Secretariat Complex to get vaccinated by health officials drafted by the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, NPHCDA.
Yahaya Shola, a senior staff in the Special Duties Department, Federal Ministry of Water Resources, said: “Most of the staff are taking the vaccines not just only to comply with federal government’s directive, but to safeguard their health.
“From tomorrow civil servants who are yet to take their vaccines would not be allowed to enter the ministry by the security at the gate.”
“Many of our staff have been vaccinated and many are still going for their vaccination as we speak. We are also encouraging those who are scared about it to go for their vaccination,” he added.
He also called on the National Orientation Agency, NOA, to embark on massive public enlightenment to allay the fears Nigerians about the vaccine, and that the government should encourage Nigerians to do the needful.
Speaking on the enforcement of the mandate, the Technical leader of the Presidential Steering Committee on COVID-19, Mukhtar Muhammed, insisted that adamant civil servants would be sanctioned in accordance with the civil service rules. Muhammed said that all unvaccinated civil servants, who returned home after they were barred from entering their offices on Wednesday would be sanctioned.
“There is a civil service rule that takes care of that aspect. They will be sanctioned according to that. He also confirmed the availability of sufficient Covid-19 vaccines and advised unvaccinated persons to take advantage of that and get immunised against coronavirus.
– DEC. 04, 2021 @ 16:09 GMT |
A.I
Tags: Boss Mustapha COVID-19 vaccination NPHCDA WHO
