Faisal Shuaib, Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NAPHDA) has encouraged Nigeria’s President, Muhammadu Buhari and other members of his cabinet to take the COVID-19 vaccine publicly. Shuaib urged the President, the Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and others to take the vaccine to encourage as many Nigerias as possible. He said it will help drive awareness, while also encouraging Nigerians not to be hesitant in taking the vaccine.
“On Tuesday, I had mentioned that we will like to see a situation where Mr. President, the Vice President, the SGF, critical leaders take the vaccine in full glare of the public to demonstrate that this vaccines are safe,” Shaibu said.
“So we have to make provisions for those. But even in developed countries, what we have seen is that apart from the prioritisation of health workers, you have to also identify critical leaders that you don’t want to be wiped out by the virus.
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“For example, in warfare, if you want to destroy your enemies, you look for specific leaders, captains, the generals, once you decapitate them, then the soldiers will become weak.
“So, as much as possible you do not want to also leave your leaders vulnerable to COVID-19. It doesn’t mean you want to prioritize politicians, that is not correct. I emphasised during the last briefing that we will prioritize our health workers because they are the ones in direct contact with cases in isolation units.”
The Nigerian government is making plans to get COVID-19 vaccines from China’s Sinopharm while the WHO-led COVAX facility is also expected to help provide vaccines.