COVID-19: Anambra Commences 2nd Phase of Vaccination, Decry Shortage Of Manpower
The Anambra government on Tuesday commenced the second phase of COVID-19 vaccination exercise with 71,892 doses.
Dr Chioma Ezenyimulu, the Executive Secretary/ Ceo, Anambra State Primary Health Care Development Agency,(ANPHDA) who spoke at a ceremony said the doses included 58,100 of Moderna and 13,792 of AstraZeneca Vaccines.
Ezenyimulu said Anambra received 78,810 doses of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines in March, 2021 for the first phase of the vaccination.
She said, “since then we have vaccinated 62,167 Anambra people for first and second doses representing 98 per cent of the target population, included in this figure are those who are due for their second dose of the vaccine”
The Executive Secretary said the speedy discovery of COVID-19 Vaccines and the subsequent mass vaccination campaigns in countries of the world have drastically reduced morbidity and mortality of the disease.
“It is hoped that as we begin today to vaccinate the rest of the population aged 18 years and above.
“We shall achieve the much needed herd immunity to ward off the rampaging virus especially its deadly Delta variant.
“It is worthy of note that a large percentage of people infected with the disease have recovered,” she said.
Ezenyimulu decried the shortage of manpower and called on Gov. Willie Obiano to employ more health workers to address the capacity demand for effective service delivery.
She said a total of 332 Primary Health Centres had started accessing their fund quarterly and had experienced positive infrastructure and equipment changes.
She thanked Obiano for supporting the health sector for making Anambra state qualify for the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) which is one per cent of the consolidated revenue of the federation.
“Under BHCPF, we have also engaged 60 midwives for our primary health centres to fill the gaps temporarily in our health workforce.
“We need your urgent intervention Your Excellency in the employment of health workers because our staff keep retiring without being replaced,” he said.
