The National Primary Health Care Development Agency has announced the successful launch of the TEACH strategy for COVID-19 Vaccination and Electronic Management of Immunization Data (EMID) and says the rollout would ensure smooth vaccine delivery for Nigerians

This was disclosed by the CEO of the Agency, Dr. Faisal Shuaib in a social media statement in preparation for the rollout of vaccines in Nigeria.

The CEO said the strategy is to ensure all eligible Nigerians access the COVID-19 vaccine as soon as possible with minimal roadblocks.

“Today, we begin our journey of combatting the COVID-19 pandemic and stopping transmission of the virus as Nigeria takes delivery of the first tranche of the vaccine in less than 24 hours.

“ We are immensely grateful to everyone for their steadfastness and commitment. I urge you all to keep pushing till we kick out the COVID-19 virus for good,” he said.

What you should know 

• Recall Nairametrics reported that Dr. Faisal Shuiab disclosed that Nigeria is prepared to receive its very first batch of Covid-19 vaccines on Tuesday, March 2, 2021.
• The Health Minister, Osagie Ehanire said the goal of the strategy is “to introduce COVID-19 vaccine in a phased and equitable manner, based on the advice of the WHO and the experience we observe other countries to have made, and ultimately vaccinating all eligible Nigerians within the next two years, to ensure herd immunity.”

The Federal Government has announced the phased processes in its vaccination programme against the Covid-19 pandemic, which is expected to take off on March 5, 2021.

This follows the expected arrival on Tuesday, March 2, 2021, of the first batch of 3,924,000 Covid-19 vaccines under the COVAX initiative from Mumbai, India.

This was disclosed in a statement by the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on Covid-19 on Monday, March 1, 2021.

The PTF said that the vaccine deployment, which is expected to be done by the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), with assistance from other sister agencies, has been divided into 4 phases.

The 4 phases with the expected activities and vaccination processes include:

1. Phase 1 Vaccination Process

• All frontline health workers to be vaccinated
• Vaccines to be deployed to states based on their level of preparedness
• Cargo planes to be provided for the transport of the vaccines to states.

It should be noted that the 3,924,000 vaccine doses expected to arrive on Tuesday will cater for the initial rollout and Phase 1 Vaccination stage.

2. Phase 2 Vaccination Process (Vaccination of the elderly from 50 years and above)

• Vaccination of 60 years and above to occur first (Group 1), then
• Vaccination of 50-55 years (Group 2) to follow

It should be noted that Nigeria is expected to receive another batch of Covid-19 vaccines for this stage.

3. Phase 3 Vaccination Process

• Vaccination of those between 18 and 49 years with co-morbidities (such as hypertension, diabetes, lung disease, other heart diseases, liver or renal disease, and so on)

4. Phase 4 Vaccination Process

• Vaccination of the rest of the eligible population between ages 18 and 49 years.

What you should know

Nigeria is expecting the arrival of the first batch of 3,924,000 Oxford/AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine on Tuesday, March 2, with vaccination expected to commence on March 5 at National Hospital Abuja for frontline health workers.

The expected arrival of the vaccine is coming after Ghana and Cote’D’Ivoire announced the arrival of the Covid-19 vaccine under the COVAX initiative.

Phase 1 Vaccination Process

– All frontline health workers to be vaccinated;
– Vaccines to be deployed to states based on their level of preparedness;
– Cargo planes to be provided for the transport of the vaccines to states.#YesToCovid19Vaccine#TakeResponsibility

— Covid-19 Presidential Task Force (PTF) | Nigeria (@DigiCommsNG) March 1, 2021