Nigeria begins Covid-19 vaccination

Nigeria has officially rolled out the Covid-19 vaccination with four frontline health workers receiving jabs of the AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine at the National Hospital, Abuja. 

The vaccines were administered after undergoing final assessment by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, with positive results. 

The first set of health care workers to receive the vaccine in Nigeria are Dr. Ngong Cyprian, Nurse Faith E. Eragbai, Dr. Nuru Joseph and Dr. Thairu Yunusa. 

Flagging off the exercise, the Chairman, Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 and Secretary General to the Federation, Mr Boss Mustapha, described the event as a watershed. 

"Nobody is safe until everyone is vaccinated. We must believe our government on the safety and efficacy of the vaccines."

“I salute the commitment of all health workers in saving and ensuring the protection of all Nigerians. This is a novel roll-out and the only authorised source is the Federal Government”. 

Mustapha urged Nigerians not to patronise fraudsters who are out to defraud. 

"We must understand that nobody is safe until everyone is vaccinated. We must believe our government on the safety and efficacy of the vaccines brought to Nigeria," he noted. 

The Minister of Health.  Dr Osagie Ehanire, confirmed that NAFDAC had declared the vaccine doses safe for use on Nigerians. 

He said: “The vaccination campaign we kick off today will be in four phases, and will align with the planned arrival of vaccines in batches. Each phase targets a specific segment of our eligible population, to ensure equity in vaccine deployment.”

"The vaccines (COVID-19) are our common assets and the responsibility is on every person to protect them and ensure proper use. 

" I will like to emphasis that we are not out of the woods. Yes, there is light at the end of the tunnel but we are still in the tunnel."

According to the Executive Director of the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency, NPHCDA, Dr Faisal Shuaib: “It’s a momentous occasion today as we administer the first dose to one of our foremost frontline medical doctors in the fight against COVID-19. 

“Defined frontline health workers are prioritized globally, for vaccination against COVID-19, due to their exposure to the risk infection with COVID-19 virus in the course of duty.”

On his own part, the Speaker, House of Reps. Femi Gbajabiamila, said: "We must not play politics with the health of our neighbour. We have to be mindful of the person that has not been vaccinated... you need to protect your neighbours."

“This is a time for everyone to rally round the government. The vaccines being introduced in Nigeria are safe and effective”. 

Uplift core SRHR principles of Nigerian women, BoT tasks new NRHJN leadership

The newly elected leadership of the Network of Reproductive Health Journalists of Nigeria, NRHJN, has been charged to always uphold and uplift the core principles and policies of the Sexual Reproductive Health Rights (SRHR)  of women in Nigeria. 

The Chairman of the Network's Board of Trustees (BoT), and Chairman Dr Ejike Oji Community Development Foundation, Dr. Ejike Oji, who gave the task during the Network's 2020 Annual General Meeting held virtually on January 22, urged the newly elected officers to remain upright and committed. 

Oji, who is also the Chairman, Association of Advanced Family Planning of Nigeria (AAFP), appreciated contributions of the Network to issues relating to Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights and policies in its 10 years of existence. 

The  new members of the Network's executive were elected during the  2020 Annual General Meeting held virtually on January 22, to run the Network's ongoing campaign on sexual reproductive health rights and policies for the next three years.

Also applauding the new Exco, the Chairman, Transition Monitoring Group (TMG) and Executive Director, Women Advocates Research and Documentation Centre (WARDC), Dr. Abiola Akiyode-Agolabi, who is a member of the BOT, said they should reach out more in promoting equity and access of women to reproductive health services that enhance their dignity.

She urged the leadership of the Network to put commitment on the front line of media advocacy for promoting gender issues "because there is still a lot of work to be done in eliminating gender based violence on all spheres of our lives as a nation".

On her part, the Chairman, Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) Abuja Branch, Dr. Hauwa Shekarau, who is the group's Legal Adviser and BOT member, noted that the Network has shown in 10 years that it is a media advocacy group to be reckoned in the SRHR space.

She charged the new Exco to continue to strengthen the capacity of its members across the country through continued programmes of development and engagements so that more visibility would be given to issues of women, girls and persons rights to making informed decisions and right choices in their sexual and reproductive health.

The NRHJN was formed in April 2010 with the support of Ipas, Nigeria as a media advocacy group to be a communication bridge between SRHR partners and the public at a time when it was difficult for the public to appreciate the works of most partners, the importance of sexual and reproductive health rights of women and girls and protection against gender based violence.

The concerted media advocacy of the Network has been instrumental to the birth of the VAPP Law and its continued adoption in several states of Nigeria.

The Network has also been on the front line in the Global Gag Rule (GGR) campaign, access to Family Planning services/ contraceptives of choice and eduction on elimination of harmful traditional practices that violate reproductive health and rights of women especially gender based violence such as rape, sexual harassment among others.

The Network is a registered media not for profit group with membership that cuts across all genre of the media and in 20 states with State Coordinators.

Among the newly elected leadership are Ynka  Shokunbi, President; Nasir Yusuf Ibrahim, Vice President;  Sekinah Lawal, National Secretary; Tosin  Odusola, Assistant Secretary; Julie Ekong, Treasurer and Nma Okereke,  Financial Secretary. 

Others are Sola Ogundipe, Program Advisor; Elizabeth Kah, Welfare/Publicity Secretary; Martins Ifijeh, Internal Auditor; Ijeoma Ukazu, Ex- officio and Joy Olabisi Akpaida Ex-Officio.