The World Health Organisation (WHO) has expressed concern over eight per cent COVID-19 vaccination coverage recorded among over 4000 health workers in Anambra State.
Dr Adamu Abdul-Nasir, State Coordinator, WHO, made the assertion on Wednesday, at the State Level Engagement for the Canada Global Initiative for Vaccine Equity (CanGIVE), Project Grant Implemention on COVID-19 Response.
Truth Ezeudoye, WHO Technical Assistant on COVID-19 and Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response, represented Abdul-Nasir.
He said: “As at Oct. 8, Nigeria has vaccinated 80.7 million persons, out of which 1.5 million are health workers, 4.2 are frontline workers and 31 million are persons above 50 years (elderly).
“In Anambra, it is very sad to note that out of over 4,000 health workers, only eight per cent have completed their COVID-19 vaccination.
“Health workers administer the vaccine and yet a high number of them have not been vaccinated. Is it that they are doubting the potency of the vaccine? This a major challenge.
"Anambra was selected as one of the 15 implementing states for the CanGIVE Project. The low uptake of the COVID-19 vaccine is worrisome, especially among health workers and other vulnerable groups.”
Abdul-Nasir said the three months project is to support high priority risk groups which included health workers, pregnant women, persons living with co-mobidities and the elderly.
He said though, Anambra recorded 90 per cent vaccination coverage among the elderly which made it the second highest state in the country but more needed to be done to scale up coverage.
“The goal of this project is to scale up COVID-19 service delivery and uptake among residents especially the high priority risk groups to build head immunity and reduce incidence of COVID-19 related deaths and serious illnesses,” he said.
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