By Moses Adeniyi
Following rounds of scepticism regarding the COVID-19 vaccines, Experts in the medical profession have dispelled rumours spreading at the local level over hazards attached to the vaccines.
The Experts have described such rumours as the figment of the imagination of the concocters, describing the misgivings as untrue and unfounded.
Arguing the vaccine remains safe and efficacious by the test of laboratory studies, they have called on members of the public to take advantage of the vaccines to guide against complications from the virus.
This is coming as the Lagos State Government (LASG) through the Lagos State Primary Healthcare Board (LSPHCB) has commenced the massive roll-out of the COVID-19 vaccination campaign to reach no less than 4-million — a target of getting more Lagosians vaccinated before the end of December.
It would be recalled that Lagos State Governor had last week disclosed the mass vaccination roll-out process to get no less than four million Lagos residents vaccinated before the end of December, 2021.
According to him, the move remains sacrosanct in view of possible widespread that may erupt from the end of the year festivities.
Mentioning that the character of Lagos with broad inland, air and water border activities puts the State at the risk of infections, he had said efforts have been put in place to raise the number of vaccination centres to no less than 800 by Monday, November 01, 2021 (today).
Over the weekend, the process had kick-started as the Lagos Mainland Local Government Area, received both Federal authorities, and International Health Organisations as visitors to launch the process under the hash-tag #KosayeCovidLeko (no room for COVID-19 in Lagos), for the massive roll-out designed by the LSPHCB in collaboration with the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, (NPHCDA).
Expert Perception
The Chairman, Lagos State Primary Healthcare Board, Prof. Akin Oshibogun, who spoke at the commencement of the roll-out campaign which kicked off at the Abule Nla Primary Health Centre, Ebute-Metta, Lagos, dispelled the rumours around the vaccine, describing it (vaccine) as “safe, efficacious and efffective.”
According to him, intense follow-up for the past four months have been sustained on all vaccinated persons, the result of which he said have proven such rumours of blood clotting, magnetisation and sudden death, amongs others, wrong.
He maintained that blood samples from the “vaccinees” have been taken and monitored to detect any case of blood clotting, non of which he said have been found.
Explaining such complains as effects of pain and fever upon vaccination as natural body reactions to the vaccine, the Chairman described the roving rumours as “tales by the moonlight”
According to the medical expert in an interview session, “people still needs to protect themselves” by way of vaccination “because the virus is still mutating,” even though the mortality rate may still be low in this part of the world.
In his perception, the need to couple the layer of protection to break the pandemic was important, by adhering to other safety protocols as wearing of nose masks in crowded environment.
“It is very important that we protect ourselves against this virus. Although we’ve been fortunate that the mortality rate has not been as worst as in Europe and the America, but yet the virus is still evolving. So, it is very important to protect ourselves, and the only way to break the pandemic, is to use the vaccine and to use the drug for treatment.
“Now we have a vaccine; the scientists are still working on drugs but the vaccines are still likely to be cheaper than the drugs. So, it is better for us to take advantage of the available vaccine to protect ourselves.
“We are all collecting data locally to see how safe the vaccines are and we have data to show the vaccines are safe. We have also collected data to show whether the vaccines produces the immune responses in Nigerians and we have the data to show that the vaccines are producing immune responses in Nigerians to protect them against this virus.
“We do not know what variants are still likely to come up and since the vaccines are safe, so why don’t we protect ourselves,” he questioned.
“Let us also remember that we must couple the layers of prevention and therefore in addition to being vaccinated to wear our nose masks, particularly at crowded places,” posited.
On booster shots, the medical don believes “the first responsibility of the government in Nigeria is to ensure that as many people get the first opportunity.”
“When enough people have had the first opportunity, then we can start talking of booster shots; but if you have a coverage of five percent, you can’t be talking of booster shots. It is inequitable,” he argued
In his view, the Permanent Secretary, LSPHCB, Dr. Ibrahim Mustafa, said: “We have identified and we know from all available evidence that the COVID-19 vaccine is very efficacious and protective for people that have received it to prevent them from very severe illness and reducing mortality cases from infected persons.
On the safety of the vaccine he further averred: “The vaccines have proven to be very safe. The vaccine would not prevent you from getting infected but when you get infected what happens to you? If you are immunised, you are likely not to have very severe disease.
“What this vaccince would do is to prevent you from having severe illness and If at all, there is any illness, it would be mild, or you don’t even suffer any effect. By and large, I want to assure you that this vaccine is safe.
On cases of adverse reactions on some people, he said study from “thorough analysis from these cases” showed the few who suffered such were those having “very severe underlying illness ab initio and their capacity to fight the illness significantly reduced.”
“These are pockets of cases that are very far and in between. They are not so many as to undermine the safety of the virus that we are giving.”
Mass Vaccination Strategies
On the process for the four million phase, he said the massive roll out is a strategic step towards mitigating the effects of COVID-19 with enlightenment campaign.
“The COVID-19 infection is a very fatal illness. We don’t want any Lagosian to die unnecessarily. We don’t want Lagosians to suffer and the Governor has mandated that this is done to ensure Lagosians are fully protected against the infection.
“In Lagos we have both AstraZeneca and the Moderna Vaccines,” he said.
Mentioning that “more than we have done we want to reach more than 60 percent,” he said the Board is committed to triple the efforts on campaign which started about eight months ago for massive vaccination before December.
He said the Board would work alongside religious leaders to convince and urge the people to come out for the vaccination process.
According to the Permanent Secretary, research have revealed that those who have suffered fatalities and illness from the virus recently, were those who have not been vaccinated.
He stressed that against publicity of “adverse reaction”, “it has been proven beyond reasonable doubt that the vaccine is safe” and is effective to protect against disease from the virus.
He disclosed that with the roll-out, the vaccine will be available for free in all primary health centres, general hospitals, as well as secondary and tertiary health facilities, while for private health facilities, only a token for service charge is applicable.
Disclosing that the extension of the process to private hospitals was to ensure accessibility for individuals who would prefer accessing private facilities, he said the vaccine remains free while only a charge to take care of the logistics of those private health facilities would be required.
In addition, he disclosed that beyond the hospitals, mobile vaccination sites would be stationed across all the Local Government Areas and Local Council Development Areas in the State for easy accessibility.
He moreover, called on stakeholders to join hands in the campaign, charging all to pass the message of the launching to the localities.
Views on Lagos four million vaccination target
In his remarks on the Lagos massive vaccination initiative, World Health Organisation (WHO), Yield Presence Team Leader, Lagos Liaison Office, Dr. Ahmed Khedr, commended the State Government’s approach towards containing the spread of the virus.
According to him, though the State has remained the epicentre in Nigeria, the firm approach in case management as constituted prototype for other States in the Federation to follow.
He maintained that the expertise of Lagos in emergency response has placed the State at the foremost in the profile of disease control management in the Country.
According to him, the vaccine would protect against complications even when people contract the virus.
“I’m very happy to have this event of the roll-out of the third phase of the COVID-19 vaccination. It was a challenge to have these vaccines. Countries globally have supported in the development of these vaccines. We are very lucky to have this within a short period of time.
“I encourage everyone to go to the closest health facilities, public or private, to get vaccinated because, two issues are: It is a very safe vaccine and secondly, it would guide against complications even if you contract the virus which is a very good development.”
He assured support of WHO in response with development plans for health care management in the State.
Health Specialist-Immunisation, United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Asnakew Yigwa, mentioned that just like other vaccination processes as that of immunisation, Lagos has remained at the top of COVID-19 vaccination in the Country, stressing that the State is significantly leading excellently in COVID-19 vaccination.
He called on members of the public to optimise the opportunities for community members to be vaccinated, adding that the extension of the process to private health facilities is a welcome development
He assured UNICEF will continue to offer support towards the mass vaccination process.
Represented by the Director, Disease Control and Immunisation, Dr. Bassey Okposu, the Executive Secretary, National Primary Health Care Development Agency, (NPHCDA) Dr. Faisal Shuaib commended Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu for what he described as an “outstanding performance and support” in the prudent management of the COVID-19 pandemic in the State.
Dispelling the rumour of hazards attached to the vaccine, he said no ill report have been identified from follow up on those who have been vaccinated.
Lamenting that about 2,840 persons who would have contributed positively to the Country’s economy have been lost to the virus in Nigeria, he called on all to take advantage of the roll out.
He further mentioned that aside the over 290,713 officially confirmed positives cases, there are numbers of persons who have contracted the virus within the localities who have not been confirmed positive having not assessed health facilities for COVID-19 test.
Speaking on the need for enlightenment, he called on community leaders to enlighten members within their jurisdiction, stressing the vaccine is “free and safe.”
Pharmist Rahman Kilani, Director Vaccines, CHAI, said Lagos State has remained at the forefront with mass campaign to contain the spread of the virus.
On enlightenment, he said it were better for the masses to be vaccinated than to get sick with the virus.
Official report have shown that about 5,690,000 persons have been vaccinated in the Country, while only about 3,490,000 of the figure have taken the second dose. Of the entire firgure, Lagos which remains the epicentre have had 1.15million people in Nigeria.