The World Health Organization (WHO) has pledged to donate 20 million doses of vaccines annually, to aid the eradication of yellow fever in the country.
This is following the commencement of the second phase of vaccination against the disease in four states, Kogi, Kwara, Zamfara and Borno.
The campaign is targeting people between nine months to 45 years of age.
About 10.4 million people were vaccinated in the first phase of the exercise, which covered 20 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
Speaking at a press conference in Abuja, on Tuesday, WHO Representative, Fiona Braka, said every effort must be geared towards containing the outbreak.
“The global body is ready to assist the country in achieving the total vaccination of the populace in line with the Elimination of Yellow fever Epidemics (EYE) by 2026.
“The global community is committed to this course and has pledged 20 million doses available annually to achieve the target despite the global vaccine shortfall,” she said.
Until the recent outbreak, Nigeria had received a clean bill of health from WHO which certified Nigeria as a “yellow fever endemic free country.”
However, the recent pocket of outbreaks in Kogi, Kwara, Zamfara, Niger, Kebbi and Nasarawa may have reversed the trend.
The first outbreak was recorded in September 2017.
The Executive Secretary, National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Faisal Shuaib said that the global non availability of vaccines resulted in the plan to phase the campaign for the next nine years.
He said that all the states will be vaccinated in phases and a tentative plan to that effect has been approved by development partners.
He said about one million doses have been planned for utilisation in Borno during the campaign which has been slated for February, 5-14, 2018.
Source: ( Punch Newspaper )
