The Northern Governors have expressed their readiness to take the first doses of COVID-19 vaccine once they (the Vaccines) get to Nigeria.

The Governor of Plateau State and Chairman of the Northern States Governor’s Forum (NSGF), Honourable Simon Lalong, on Thursday in a webinar organized by an NGO, the Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation (SABMF), gave the assurance on behalf of his colleagues, adding that the safety and the efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccines were discussed and the Governors.

Governor Lalong, represented by the Secretary to the Plateau State Government (SSG), Professor Danladi Atu, disclosed that “We the Northern Governors have agreed to take the first doses of the vaccines.”

Engr. Abubakar Gambo Umar, the managing director and chief executive officer of the SBMF, stated that the webinar, among others, was basically to sensitize the general public and provide answers to all the issues surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic and its vaccines.

 A team of medical experts also gave their opinions about the COVID-19 vaccines, its efficacy and safety.

Dr Faisal Shu’aibu, the Executive Director of National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), said the projection is that 70 per cent of Nigerians will be vaccinated over the period of two years, adding that the first phase is that 40 per cent of the population will be vaccinated while in the second phase, 39 per cent of the population is expected to be vaccinated.

A pioneer epidemiologist, Prof Abdulsalam Nasidii, also spoke on the efficacy of the vaccines.

 Dr Nasiru Sani Gwarzo, an epidemiologist and Permanent Secretary Federal Ministry of Industry Trade and Investments; Prof Zubairu Iliyasu, Director of Centre for Infectious Diseases Bayero University Kano; Prof. Sarki Abba, Director Center for Urologic Oncology Northwestern University Chicago USA, and Dr Muhammed Adis, Executive Secretary of Nasarawa State Primary Health Care Development Agency (NSPHCDA) among others, were also part of the occasion.

 A lecturer from the Department of Community Medicine, Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Zaria, Professor Clara Ejembi said the vaccination does not prevent infection.

 He advised the people should continue to practise the preventive measures as they are also important in reducing the spread of the virus, and also encouraged all actors to be on board.