COVID-19: FG Moves To Name, Shame Buyers and Sellers of Vaccination Card
- Warnings have been issued to Nigerians involved in the buying and selling of COVID-19 vaccination card
- The warning was given by the executive director of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency
- Faisal Shuaib said NPHCDA is working with government security agencies to apprehend the criminals
The federal government has threatened to name and shame members of the public and health workers who engage in the buying and selling of COVID-19 vaccination card without administering or receiving the jab.
The executive director of the National Primary Health Care development Agency (NPHCDA), Faisal Shuaib, on Thursday, October 14, said the agency is working with security organisations across Nigeria to make examples of these individuals.
Source: Facebook
Arresting those who engage in the criminality
Speaking at the weekly press briefing by the agency, Shuaib said the federal government is improving the security features on the vaccination card to reduce the level of forgery by some unscruptolous elements.
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He said the NPHCDA has also put in place plans for the establishment of mass vaccination site across the country.
According to Shuaib, the sites would include locations with high volume of individual walk-in like the malls, federal institutions (universities, polytechnics), shopping malls, religious centres, sporting events, conference centres, and markets.
Mass vaccination strategy in Nigeria
Calling for collaboration between cgovernment across all levels, religious bodies, school authorities and governing bodies of malls and large sporting events, Shuaib also encouraged Nigerians to take advantage of these provisions to get vaccinated.
In addition, Shuaibn said the federal government has commenced the process of decentralizing COVID-19 vaccination in Nigeria.
He said this process would include private health care providers inorder to heimprove expansion of access and increase the utilization of the vaccines.
Shuaib said:
"The decentralization will not affect the Federal Government’s free vaccination policy. COVID-19 vaccines will be administered free of charge at both government and private health facilities and the vaccination cards should be given free of charge after vaccination."
"We acknowledge the fact that private health facilities may need to charge for their hospital registration cards which are different from the COVID-19 vaccination cards."
Decentralisation of COVID-19 vaccines
In order to also ensure a swift decentralisation process, Shuaib said the NPHCDA has commenced the training of health workers in the selected private health care facilities.
There is also the sensitization of critical stakeholders to create awareness and sensitize them on the plan and the criteria for involving the private sector in COVID-19 vaccination and secure their buy-in.
He said:
"The process of involving the private sector will be transparently done in line with our pledge of accountability to Nigerians."
Accoridng to him, facilities or health workers found wanting by participating in illegal sale of vaccines or cards or other criminal activities would be made to face the law.
Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that the NPHCDA had assured Nigerians that the government of the United Kingdom recongnises all the vaccines administered in Nigeria.
Shuaib made the assurance after a new travel advisory which was released by the UK caused a stir among Nigerians.
Shuaib said that the federal government is in talks with officials of the UK government to ensure that Nigeria's status remains the same following the advisory.
Source: Legit.ng
