Kogi State Government on Monday night eventually took delivery of about 16, 900 doses of the AstraZeneca Vaccine, to be flagged off in the state on Tuesday.

Dr Abubakar Yakubu, the Executive Director of Kogi State Primary Health Care Development Agency (KSPHCDA), led a team of officials from the agency and Kogi Ministry of Health to receive the vaccines at the National Programme on Immunization (NPI) Unit of the State Central Medical Store, Lokoja.

Speaking to newsmen shortly after taken delivery of the vaccines, Yakubu said that the most awaited COVID-19 vaccines arrived Kogi from Abuja at about 7:40 pm, saying the state was well prepared for it.

”We have about 16,900 doses of the vaccine, and by tomorrow Tuesday we hope to flag off the campaign in the Ministry of Health.

”The firstline of recipients of the vaccines are the health workers which will be demonstrated on Tuesday by 12 noon at the ministry.

”The vaccine administration will be followed by the frontline essential non health workers like the police, military, NSCDC, Custom men among others”, Yakubu said

He added that the Ministry intended to carry out the campaign as efficient as they could because the state was a bit behind scheduled compared to other States, who had almost completed their 10 days mandatory campaign for the administration of the vaccines.

The Executive Director noted that the state was initially expecting about 45, 000 doses of the vaccines from NPHCDA, which accounted for one per cent of the total population of Kogi State.

”But to our surprise, we are being supplied with 16,900 doses now, I think there will be further reconciliation to send the balance of the doses as soon as possible”, he said.

Also speaking, Alh. Acheku Yusuf, Kogi State Health Promotion Officer, said the Ministry had solicited the support of all relevant stakeholders, and running jingles to ensure adequate sensitisation of the people about the vaccines.

On her part, Mrs Bilikisu Adagiri, the State Cold Chain Officer, said the state was fully prepared for the administration of the vaccines to people above 18 years.

Mr Olumide Ade-Yeye, the Vaccine Security and Logistic Consultant, UNICEF Kogi, said they were happy as a State to be part of those who would participate in COVID-19 vaccination.

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The Kogi State Primary Healthcare Development Agency (KGSPHCDA) on Tuesday in Lokoja, commenced a three-day training on handling and management of vaccine, for immunisation officers across the state.

The participants at the training are Local Immunisation Officers (LIOs) and Cold Chain Officers (CCOs) from the 21 local government areas of Kogi State.

In his opening remarks, the Executive Director of KGSPHCDA, Dr Abubakar Yakubu, said the training was expected to equip participants with adequate knowledge on proper handling and management of Vaccine.

He added that the training would enable the participanta to avoid and reduce vaccine wastages through breakage, exposure to harmful temperature, VVM change and even expiration of vaccines in their custody.

According to Yakubu, the importance of keeping our vaccines sterile and managing them, both at the State and Local Government levels cannot be overemphasised.

”Vaccines are given to us free but they are not cheap and that is why everyone saddled with the responsibility of handling, storing and administering these vaccines must ensure proper handling procedures.

”At the State level, the Agency has been able to tackle the issue of poor or no power supply for proper vaccine storage by providing 25 tons Cold room and 100KVA Solar energy.

”So far, we are keeping vaccines at the recommended temperature.

”With the provision and recent distribution of Solar Drive Refrigerators (SDRs) to the LGAs, we implore you to emulate same gestures and keep vaccines stored properly.

”We are hopeful that we will receive more SDRs soon to be distributed to health facilities where they have none but are needed,” Yakubu said.

He noted that the Agency had planned a training such as this in the past, but was grounded for paucity of funds, while commending the UNICEF for their assistance in making the training a reality.

He said that a monitoring team had been put in place, warning that officers who displayed lackadaisical attitude to their responsibility would not be spared.

He, therefore, urged the participants to take utmost advantage of the training to update and upgrade themselves with knowledge to function at their best.

”The State highly appreciates UNICEF and other Development Partners who bore the expenses of this training and contributed to its success.

”We remain grateful and live in the hope that more support would be gained in the future”, Yakubu said.

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