The Federal Government on Friday announced that about 70 percent (149,690,763) total target of Nigerians are being prioritised for COVID-19 vaccines vaccination in 2021 and 2022 to reduce mortality and interrupt COVID-19 transmission in the country.
Disclosing this on Friday to journalists was the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) during a Zoom meeting which also said that the health workers would be the number one target in order of priority to be vaccinated
Chairman, Technical Working Group for the therapy, Dr. Bassey Okposen, who said this while making his presentation explained,
“Nigeria plans to reach 70 percent of the total population with COVID 19 vaccines by end of 2022. 70 percent of the population targeted to reduce mortality due to COVID-19 in Nigeria. 20 percent of the vaccine needs will be covered by the COVAX facility in 2021 with GoN covering operational cost and extra vaccine needs beyond the 20 percent.
Other categories of the population are adults of 50+, people with comobidities and other risk group, Okposen said.
Giving the breakdown, he said, 84, 655,749 health workers (40 percent), adults of 50+ (10 percent), persons with comorbiditiesbelow50years(1786) and other risk group (127) would be reached in 2021.
In 2022, he said 30 percent (65,035,014) of additional other nisk groups would be reached, even as he added that the prioritisation was based on current epidemiology of the COVID-19 in Nigeria.