Health
Jigawa Records Second Highest Takers of COVID-19 Vaccine
By Adedapo Adesanya
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has disclosed that Jigawa State recorded the second-highest takers of the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines in Nigeria after Lagos State.
In a press release, the world health body noted that Jigawa has the second-highest turnout for the vaccine.
According to WHO, authorities in the North-Western state of the federation received 68,520 doses of the vaccine and 33,508 persons have been vaccinated by March 29. The state has recorded 518 of the 162,593 COVID-19 cases in Nigeria by the same date.
“Only two weeks into the arrival of COVID-19 vaccines in Nigeria, Jigawa State is recording impressive results as authorities accelerate efforts to distribute doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine, millions of which are available across Nigeria.
“The vaccines were delivered to the country from the Serum Institute of India(SII) in early March,” the release noted.
According to Mr Hassan Shaibu Kwallam, the State Immunization Officer, the state had to face some challenges as there were claims of vaccines causing infertility in women while others have claimed that vaccines will be administered to the country’s political elite only.
But working with local communities, the state has overcome a huge part of the fear, state officials noted.
Getting Jigawa’s residents to turn out was possible largely due to the influence of traditional and religious leaders, according to Mr Kwallam.
“Our strategy has been a very simple one. We have the buy-in of the local health workers and we also have the cooperation of the traditional leaders. That has made the vaccination process go smoothly,” he added.
Nigeria received 3.9 million vaccines in March out of an expected 84 million doses through the COVAX Facility, co-led by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, WHO and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations(CEPI), in partnership with the United Nations Children’s Fund, the World Bank, and other partners. COVAX is one pillar of the Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator, a global collaboration to hasten production and fair access to COVID-19 tests, treatments and vaccines.
An additional 41.3 million vaccine doses through the Africa vaccine acquisition task team(AVATT) and the African Union are expected in April.
Testimonies
On a recent weekday, community health worker, Mrs Balkisu Yahaya, bared her arm and felt the small prick of the needle as she got her first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine from a colleague. In return, Hajiya Balkisu vaccinated her colleague too. The two are health workers deployed as vaccination teams to immunise against the COVID-19 disease in Nigeria’s Jigawa State and are some of the first to get the jab.
“I have taken the first dose and I am now very very happy,” Hajiya Balkisu, who works at the Sakwaya Primary Healthcare Center in Dutse, the capital, said. “It’s good so I can protect myself first before protecting others.”
Mrs Balkisu says the turn out signifies some vaccination success despite instances of Covid-19 vaccine hesitancy among some residents.
Since the start of the pandemic last year, unfounded theories about the origin of COVID-19 as well as rumours about the vaccine’s safety have spread widely across the internet and social media space in Nigeria.
When it was time for His Royal Highness, the Emir of Hadejia to get his first jab on a recent Monday, he did it publicly, opting to take the vaccine at the Hadejia General Hospital in the Hadejia Local Government Area (LGA) where many in his community could see. After the Emir received the injection, he held up his green vaccine card, with a QR code stamped on it, for proof.
“I hope to dispel the rumours that a different vaccine, safer and more potent, is being administered to only very important personalities,” the Emir said. “Coming out like this will build trust and confidence in the minds of many that harbour this misconception and will lead to a higher turn-out for vaccine rollout. I am sure of it.”
Mr Ahmed Mohammed Sani, Emir of Gumel who received his vaccine last Wednesday says partnerships between local leaders and health workers increase chances of success when it comes to immunisation.
“I am presenting my humble self for the COVID-19 vaccination before all so everybody can do the same,” the Emir said.
“What we, as an emirate had successfully done during the polio eradication initiative, is a clear testimony of our sustained ability to convince our communities in support of any public health interventions brought up by the government.”
Only health workers like Mrs Balkisu and traditional leaders were targeted for the first phase of the roll-out, to protect health personnel and build trust among communities.
WHO noted that phase two (which targets adults aged 50 and older) and then phase three (for ages between 18 and 49) are due to have commenced. Those who successfully receive their first jabs are expected to take their second doses after 12 weeks.
No Need for Fear
Back in Jigawa, Mrs Balkisu said she has had to convince many that the slight fever some feel after taking the vaccine was normal – she felt it too and it went away in a day, she added.
Dr Sunday Audu, WHO Jigawa state coordinator echoed her message. “There is no reason for hesitancy. There have been no reports of any serious Adverse Effect Following Immunization (AEFI) in the state. It is only a minor inconvenience but it would be beneficial for more people to get their doses so we can protect ourselves and our neighbours.”
WHO has supported in training the 162 vaccination teams deployed across the 27 LGAs of Jigawa and added that it will continue supporting the coordination, training, monitoring and supervision of health care workers till all doses are used up.
“I will advise my colleagues and everyone else to put their mind at rest,” Mrs Balkisu added as she attended to people waiting to be vaccinated. “Don’t think too much about the inconvenience of the jab. Just relax and you will be fine. It’s much less painful than contracting Covid-19 and falling sick.”
Like Polio, Like COVID-19
It’s not the first time Jigawa has successfully immunized thousands despite some pockets of hesitancy, health authorities say. When the Polio disease was endemic in Nigeria and parents were reluctant to get their wards vaccinated, health workers also turned to traditional and religious leaders for advocacy support. This culminated in the huge success recorded in 2020 when Nigeria was declared polio-free after years of fighting the disease.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
As part of its efforts to safeguard public health in Nigeria, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has strengthened its regulatory framework for blood and blood products.
A statement signed on Thursday by the Director General of NAFDAC, Prof Mojisola Adeyeye, disclosed that to achieve its goal, the agency will collaborate with relevant authorities and stakeholders to establish a robust regulatory framework that promotes the availability of safe, quality-assured and efficacious blood and blood products, while strengthening public confidence in Nigeria’s healthcare system.
NAFDAC said it intends to partner with government institutions, healthcare providers, blood establishments, development partners and other stakeholders for the robust oversight.
Mrs Adeyeye disclosed that already, her organisation has received the support of the Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof Ali Pate.
According to her, NAFDAC has been given the mandate to regulate blood and blood products in line with global best practices and the World Health Organisation (WHO) recommendation that these products be subject to oversight by National Regulatory Authorities (NRAs) for medicines.
She said blood and blood products are classified as essential medicines and must be consistently available with assured quality, safety and affordability, stressing that the aim is to protect patients throughout the blood transfusion chain.
Effective regulatory oversight will support the quality and safety of blood products from donor assessment and collection through testing, processing, storage, transportation and use, the NAFDAC chief noted.
Several African countries, including Egypt, Ghana, South Africa, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Senegal and Rwanda, have already established regulatory oversight of blood and blood products by their NRAS, she added.
Mrs Adeyeye pointed out that NAFDAC’s renewed regulatory preparedness builds on its broader transformation into a modern, science-based regulatory authority.
Already, it has attained WHO Maturity Level 3, completed WHO Global Benchmarking ML3 re-assessment, obtained WHO prequalification for its drug laboratory, and established internationally accredited laboratory and quality management systems. These capabilities provide a strong foundation for the effective regulation of blood and blood products.
As part of its preparedness, NAFDAC has established a dedicated Vaccines, Biologicals and Medical Devices Registration and Regulation Directorate to oversee the registration and regulation of these products.
The agency established a Vaccines, Biologicals and Medical Devices Laboratory Services many years ago, but became a Directorate in 2024, responsible for quality control, including laboratory testing and lot release, while the Directorate of Evaluation and Research provides oversight of Good Manufacturing Practices. An ultra-modern laboratory facility is also being developed to further strengthen its capacity for the assessment and quality control of vaccines and biologics.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
An organisation known as GoMed Nigeria is offering free reproductive health services to Nigerian students through a digital self-care platform.
This is being delivered through a partnership with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the Lagos State Government.
The pilot scheme will be available to students of the University of Lagos. They will enjoy easier and more private access to essential health products, accurate information, and professional support.
Young Nigerians face some of the highest rates of unintended pregnancy and unmet need for contraception in the world.
Cost, distance, stigma, misinformation, and fears about confidentiality routinely stop students from seeking the products and guidance they need, with consequences that include unintended pregnancy, unsafe abortion, sexually transmitted infections and interrupted education.
The self-care platform is designed to remove each of these barriers. Through the platform, students receive free contraceptives and other sexual and reproductive health commodities provided through the Lagos State Ministry of Health and UNFPA, exclusive discounts on health essentials, and fast, discreet delivery directly to campus and student hostels.
Students can also access trusted sexual and reproductive health information and services through UNFPA’s SoftLife 247 and U-Plan platforms. Through U-PLAN, they can chat directly with qualified Family Planning Service Providers to receive accurate information and address their concerns. They can also confidently engage with GoMed’s registered pharmacists for confidential, judgement-free guidance on medicines and other health products.
“Students should be able to get reliable health information and essential products without cost, distance or fear of judgement becoming barriers.
“This platform brings free sexual and reproductive health commodities, other affordable health products and professional guidance together, with discreet delivery directly to students on campus,” the chief executive of GoMed Nigeria, Mr Anthony Edeki, said.
Also speaking, UNFPA in Nigeria Resident Representative, Muriel Mafico, said, “As the UN agency mandated for “Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights”, we are committed to reducing preventable maternal deaths and addressing the unmet need for family planning, including by providing and overseeing access to life-saving commodities worldwide.
“Working alongside our partners, we’re helping roll out the digital Self-Care Platform—so that vital, life-changing information can reach more people, more easily. Together, we want to empower Nigeria’s next generation to make informed health choices and achieve stronger health outcomes and a brighter future.”
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
A financing framework to accelerate the electrification of health facilities nationwide has been approved by the federal government.
The approval was announced at the third meeting of the Inter-Ministerial Steering Committee (IMSC) of the Nigeria Power for Health Initiative (NPHI), a presidential programme jointly coordinated by the Federal Ministries of Power and Health and Social Welfare.
The committee was constituted to ensure reliable electricity in at least 30 per cent of Nigeria’s health facilities by the end of 2027.
At the meeting, chaired by the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Mr Isiaq Salako, and co-chaired by the Minister of Power, Mr Joseph Tegbe, members of the Inter-Agency Technical Committee (IATC) presented the recommendations under consideration.
Speaking at the meeting, Mr Salako said the Steering Committee approved a financing framework to mobilise investment for healthcare electrification, alongside a facility energy management framework requiring participating hospitals to build sustainable systems for managing their energy infrastructure.
He said the committee also cleared eight (8) private sector proposals for further engagement, drawn from about 70 submissions received during the National Healthcare Electrification Investor Matchmaking Week in Lagos.
The Health Minister added that Energy Management Teams are already in place at federal tertiary hospitals, with state governments being encouraged to set up similar structures. The initiative will now be institutionalised through dedicated budgetary provisions and a full-time Project Coordination Unit to oversee implementation.
On his part, Mr Tegbe declared that the initiative must now move from announcements to actual project delivery.
Describing the NPHI as one of the President Bola Tinubu administration’s flagship programmes, he said the emphasis should shift towards commissioning completed projects that Nigerians can see for themselves, rather than further groundbreaking ceremonies and public messaging.
He emphasised the need for teaching hospitals, state hospitals, and primary healthcare centres to be fully energised, noting that the Rural Electrification Agency has already energised 5 Federal Teaching Hospitals and several other health facilities nationwide.
He also tied the initiative directly to patient outcomes, arguing that dependable power would end hospitals’ reliance on emergency generators, and pledged that the Ministry would continue to prioritise the initiative’s funding needs while ensuring value for money.
