NPHCDA clears air on claims 96 percent of Nigerians have received COVID-19 vaccine

The National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) has said only 96 percent of eligible Nigerians have been vaccinated against COVID-19.

Dr. Faisal Shuaib, the Executive Director of NPHCDA, said these eligible Nigerians had taken the first jab of the COVID-19 vaccines.

Shuaib remarked while refuting reports claiming that 96 percent of Nigerians have taken the vaccine.

In a statement he issued, the NPHCDA boss described the reports as false.

According to Shuaib: “Only 96% of Eligible Nigerians in the First Phase of COVID-19 Vaccination Exercise have so far been vaccinated with the first dose.’

“Our attention has been drawn to publications in some national dailies indicating that 96% of the total eligible population of Nigeria have been vaccinated with the AstraZeneca vaccine so far; a figure purportedly obtained from the Press Conference organized by the National Primary Health Care Development Agency on Tuesday, 25th of May, 2021. This is not the correct statistics.

“Nigerians are aware that the Federal Government of Nigeria has, till today, taken delivery of only a total of Four Million, Twenty-Four Thousand (4,024,000) doses of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine. This is made up of 3,924,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine from the COVAX facility arrangement and 100,000 doses of the same vaccine donated by the Government of India.

“This vaccine is sufficient to cover approximately 2 Million Nigerians targeted in this phase of vaccination with 2 complete shots.

“Consequently, 1,929, 237 representing 96% of the eligible population of Nigerians in the first phase of this vaccination exercise have, as of 24th May 2021, been vaccinated with the first dose, please.

“While we commend the media for a good job of consistently publicizing the activities of government, particularly, the COVID-19 vaccination rollout nationwide, since March this year, we, however, appeal that greater attention is paid to statistical details in future so that members of the public can remain guided by correct and truthful information, all the time.”