The Nigerian Government has opened a portal for Nigerians to submit their personal information to enable the government to create a database of Nigerians who will receive COVID-19 vaccination.
The National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) on Monday said 12,000 healthcare workers had already been trained in mobilising communities for the Covid-19 vaccination programme.
The Managing Director/ Chief Executive Officer, NPHCDA, said the e-registration link available on the agency’s website would enable Nigerians to register for the COVID19 Vaccine themselves, obtain their pre-vaccination numbers and schedule their preferred date and time for vaccination.
He spoke at the launch of the virtual launch of TEACH Strategy for COVID19 Vaccination and Electronic Management of Immunization Data (EMID) System in Nigeria on Monday.
The Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, said the government is also prioritising healthcare workers, security operatives and other frontline workers that will receive the first shot of the COVID-19 vaccines that is due for arrival in Nigeria tomorrow.
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In the first phase of the vaccination, he added that the military, police, oil and gas workers, Nigerians at the border and strategic leaders would be prioritised.
According to the health minister, the introduction of the electronic management of immunization data is critical to addressing challenges with integrity and quality data and primary health care data.
“It is the launching of the T.E.A.C.H Strategy for COVID-19 Vaccination and Electronic Management of Immunization Data (EMID) as a very important activity to assure Nigerians of our readiness to roll out the COVID-19 vaccination campaign smoothly,” he said.
He assures Nigerians that vaccination was safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines were part of Nigeria’s strategy to counter the COVID-19 pandemic and stop transmission of the virus.
“We in Nigeria finally have the privilege of being able to join other countries in kickstarting the immunisation programme, which will prioritise, first those people most at risk of infection due to their exposure in the line of duty,”
“Our goal is to introduce COVID-19 vaccine in a phased and equitable manner, based on advice of the WHO and the experience we observe other countries to have made, and ultimately vaccinating all eligible Nigerians within the next 2 years, to ensure herd immunity.”
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“T.E.A.C.H. is an acronym for a five-point strategy developed by the vaccination implementing arm of the Federal Ministry of Health & the NPHCDA, out of its many years of vaccination Implementation experience in Nigeria”
“The introduction of the electronic management of immunization data is critical to addressing challenges with integrity and quality data and ultimately, primary health care data.”
He said no private hospital or organization had experience with handling and application of the vaccine apart from the NPHCDA.
He added, “Vaccines that are not approved by NAFDAC will be determined as dangerous, and will be seized by Customs Services and NAFDAC, who are on high alert for illegal vaccine importation.”
