The National Primary Health Care Agency (NPHCDA) said 513,626 persons have received the first dose of the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine across the country.
The NPHCDA disclosed this in its official Twitter handle on Sunday.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Nigeria commenced vaccination since March 5, first with healthcare workers who are mostly at risk of infections being the first responders.
NPHCDA said that the vaccine roll-out would be in four phases, starting with health workers, frontline workers, COVID-19 rapid response team, laboratory network, policemen, petrol station workers and strategic leaders.
“Phase 2 – Older adults aged 50 years and above, those with co-morbidities, aged between 18 years and 49 years.
“Phase 3 – Those in states/LGAs with high disease burden and who missed phases 1 and 2.
“Phase 4 – Other eligible population as vaccines become available,’ it said.
According to the agency, as at March 28, over 513,626 eligible people have been vaccinated in 35 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The agency said that Kogi state is yet to commence vaccination as at March 28, because the state had not been supplied with the vaccines.
“Kogi State was not supplied with the vaccines because their cold store is still under repairs following vandalisation during the EndSARS protest,” it stated.
The NPHCDA stated Lagos state had vaccinated 110,042 people, making it the highest in the country.
It said Ogun followed with 47,507, Kaduna-38,063, Bauchi-32,482, Katsina-28,918 and Kwara-26,473.
NPHCDA also said that the states with the lowest number of those vaccinated are Abia-22, Taraba-111 and Kebbi-532,
NAN recalls that Nigeria first received 3.94 million doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines and another 300,000 doses from telecom giant, MTN, as part of the latter’s contribution to Africa.
The Nigerian government hopes to vaccinate 109 million people against the COVID-19 virus over a period of two years.