No fewer than 7,300 residents of Enugu State have so far received their first jabs of Astrazeneca COVID-19 vaccine on the eight-day of the ongoing vaccination in the state.

Dr George Ugwu, Executive Secretary of the Enugu State Primary Health Care Development Agency (ENS-PHCDA), made the disclosure to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Enugu on Sunday.

Ugwu said that the number represented those vaccinated as at 12 noon on Sunday.

“In Enugu State, we have given the vaccine to up to 7,300 residents without any adverse health reaction from those vaccinated already,” Ugwu said.

The executive secretary expressed satisfaction at the compliance by residents of the state and urged those who were still skeptical to take the vaccine as it was safe.

NAN recalls that the state government on March 8 received 65,400 doses of the vaccine from the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Abuja, and vaccination began across the state on March 19.

READ ALSO:

A total of 102 well-trained vaccination teams were deployed to five Primary Health Care centres and two fixed post centres in each of the 17 local government areas of the state.

Ugwu said that those already vaccinated included health workers, critical/strategic leaders at both state and local government levels and some elderly persons.

He said: “We are in the eighth day of the statewide vaccination and we are doing tremendously well.

“However, not all the people vaccinated and recorded have been reflected in the NPHCDA national data bank; since we have challenges of internet and electronic devices.

“The NPHCDA and ENS-PHCDA offices, are currently fixing these challenges.

“Initially, a lot of people did not understand the reason for taking the preventive COVID-19 vaccines.

“But, with leaders-lead awareness creation, massive public and interpersonal sensitization, our people are taking their jabs in their numbers.

“We expect that within few days the number of those vaccinated will increase exponentially as more people can see and testify that the COVID-19 vaccine is safe, effective and free-of-charge’’.

Ugwu said the state government was currently partnering with strategic leaders at the grassroots including traditional, religious and opinion leaders to get the message to their subjects, congregation and followers.

“For the medical workers, we are meeting with the heads of various medical associations so that they impress it on their members to present themselves for the vaccination,’’ he said.

The executive secretary applauded Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi for supporting the COVID-19 vaccination campaign to get to all residents of the state, notwithstanding their remote locations.

“Apart from financial and moral assistance to the agency, Gov. Ugwuanyi volunteered himself, to be publicly vaccinated,’’ he added.