By ARMSTRONG ALLAHMAGANI, Bauchi-
The Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed and his wife Aisha, on Saturday, took the shot of the Oxford – AstraZeneca COVID-19 jab.
The Deputy Governor and Chairman, State Task Force on COVID-19, Baba Tela; the Chief of Staff Goverment House, Dr. Ladan Salihu; state PDP Chairman, Hamza Akuyam; were also inoculated at the official flag-off which was held at the Banquet Hall of the Goverment House.
Others who took the vaccine are: the Bauchi State Head of Service, Aliyu Jibo; Commissioner of Health, Dr. Aliyu Maigoro; Executive Chairman, Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr. Rilwan Mohammed; Personal Physician to the governor, Murtala Abubakar and top government officials were also vaccinated
Recall that Bauchi State received the first batch of 80,570 doses of the Oxford – AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines from the National Primary Health Care Development Agency last Wednesday.
In his speech, Bauchi State Governor challenged the Federal Government to put resources into buying the vaccine for the COVID-19 pandemic rather that a “beggar” nation who would depend for free donations.
He thanked the development partners, the international community, the World Health Organization and the COVAX Group for donating the vaccines to Nigeria.
He lamented on behalf of Nigerians and subnationals that the vaccine is not enough, stressing that “we cannot play politics with vaccination and with our health. Nigeria is rich enough to buy vaccine, we should not be a beggar nation.”
The governor added that: “I am urging the federal government to make sure that we look for resources, not to depend on COVAX to be able to cover all our population, this is the most important thing to do because 150,000 doses, 80,000 down for 8 million in people in Bauchi is nothing. We must do something much more than what we are doing.
“I know the federal government and the states have contending needs in their treasuries but I am urging us, especially the federal government, that this vaccination and purchase of vaccines is given the desired attention it requires and it should be done timely.
“That we have not been devastated the way it was expected, it is the work of God, it is not because we have followed any protocol.”
He called on the people that even after they have been vaccinated, they should abandon the COVID-19 protocols of wearing face masks, use of hand sanitizers, among others pointing out that the WHO said in some instances, AstraZeneca is 65 – 90 percent, “so the element of the percentage that is not covered can come back to us, let’s continue to exercise the protocols.”
He expressed gratitude with the Ulamas and the Clergy who came forward to be vaccinated saying that there has always been traditional inhibition, fear, perception, rumours and information that are inhibiting or militating against vaccination.
Mohammed called on them to convince their followers to come forward and be vaccinated because, according to him, it has no side effects.
According to him, they came out as leaders to be administered the vaccine to show that there is no harm in and to get community buy-in. But actually, our first target are the frontline Health Workers who are exposed to the problems and challenges of this deadly scourge.
“Please, we want you to go and tell our suspecting public that there is nothing to be worried about this vaccine. We have seen how the President presented himself and how, we ourselves at our modest level, did the same”.
“I want to believe the Government and our health system should be able to continually look inwards to see if there is any evaluation that will be done to make us safe and secure on any incidence. We are ready to provide the leadership and resources for us to make our people safe and secure,” he assured.
The governor who pointed out that 11 countries has stopped using one of the vaccines because of its effects on there citizens, however said that “but we have been given assurances by the WHO even by our leader because when President Buhari with the Vice President came out to received this vaccine, Nigerians believed him because he is our leader and that was why I also came out”.
“Even if I have any reservations, I must come out because there is no any incidence that this vaccine has given anybody problem since it started.”
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