The Presidential Steering Committee On Covid-19 in collaboration with National Primary Health Care Development Agency has organised Northeast town hall meeting over Covid-19 vaccine in the Banquet Hall, Government House, Yola on Tuesday.
The meeting had in attendance Governors and stakeholders from the six states in the zone.
It has deliberated on issues inline with the principle of community engagement towards empowering people with correct information on the Covid-19 vaccine.
Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri of Adamawa State commended the Presidential committee on Covid-19 for organising the town hall meeting as according to him would enlighten the people in the Northeast on the need to get vaccinated.
Fintiri lauded staff of the Adamawa State Primary Health Development Agency, vaccination teams as well as strategic and traditional leaders in Adamawa bfor their effort towards containing the coronavirus pandemic.
Represented by Deputy Governor Chief Crowther Seth, Governor Fintiri revealed that over 33,000 people have received the first Covid-19 vaccine in Adamawa and called on the citizenry to avail themselves to get vaccinated as the second vaccination has commenced.
In his keynote address, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) who is the Chairman Presidential Committee on Covid-19 observed that there is still course for concern in the spread of Covid-19 pandemic in Nigeria.
The SGF who was represented by the Minister of Environment, Dr Mohammed Mahmud Abubakar called on the state governments and community leaders in the Northeast zone to mobilize people to come out and receive the second jab of the Covid-19 vaccine.
The Minister of Health, Doctor Osagie Ehanire said since the outbreak of coronavirus pandemic in February 2019 in Nigeria, the federal government has been proactive towards containing the virus which has so far claimed over 2000 lives in the country.
In his goodwill message, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, the Minister of State for Education disclosed that if the 2 million teachers in the country will get vaccinated would help to containing the spread of the virus especially in schools across Nigeria.
The Executive Director, National Primary Health Care Development Agency, Doctor Faisal Shuaib commended Adamawa for having the highest number of people coming out to receive Covid-19 vaccine in the country and revealed plans to start producing the vaccine in Africa.
The Director General, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) Doctor Chikwe Ikpeazu stressed that the Covid-19 vaccine can save lives and called on people to join hands with the organization towards fighting the pandemic.
The World Health Organization (WHO) Country Representative, Doctor Walter Kazadi Mulombo assured the organization’s support towards vaccinating ten percent of every population in countries including Nigeria by the end of September this year.
Earlier in his welcome remarks, Lamido Adamawa Doctor Muhammadu Barkindo Aliyu Mustafa, represented by the Galadima Adamawa, Alhaji Mustafa Aminu appreciated all stakeholders, development partners and health workers for their collaboration in the fight against Covid-19 in the country.
There were drama presentation, technical session, questions and answers as well as goodwill messages from the governors of Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Taraba and Yobe states.
