SEGUN BABATUNDE, Bauchi
Bauchi State Governor, Senator Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed, has received the Covid-19 Booster dose to kick off the administration of the vaccine on other citizens of the state.
Speaking shortly after he received the booster jab at the Banquet Hall of the Government House, Bauchi, the governor stressed that it was very important for people to come to terms with the existence of the COVID-19 virus and come out of the self-denial syndrome.
The governor represented by the Deputy Governor, Senator Baba Tela, said that since the outbreak of the pandemic his administration had done everything possible to curtail it by minimising its spread across the state as well as ensure effective tracing and treatment.
Mohammed also said that the state government would not stop at anything until the entire citizens of the state were effectively covered by the vaccination exercise to fight the virus.
The governor urged the people of the state to get vaccinated, adding that the dosage is safe and effective.
He also said that his administration would not relent in ensuring all measures against the spread of the virus are taken, saying that the state government had recorded degrees of success in healthcare delivery.
In his welcome address, state Commissioner for Health, Dr Samaila Dahuwa, said that the state had recorded tremendous progress in the fight against the spread of COVID-19 virus through adequate surveillance mechanism put in place.
The commissioner, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, said that the government was able to get a functional cold room, which had been adjudged the best in the country and functional.
He also appealed to the citizens of the state to avail themselves of the rare opportunity by coming out to take the required jabs of the vaccines for their protection.
In an overview of the COVID-19 pandemic in the state, Executive Chairman of BASPHCDA, Dr Rilwanu Mohammed, said that the state recorded a total of 26 deaths from the COVID-19 related complications out of the over 1000 positive cases recorded.
Mohammed added that the state had received AstraZeneca and Moderna doses of the vaccines, which had been administered to the people.
He, however, lamented the apathy of the people towards vaccination.
The BASPHCDA Boss also said that the booster jab is for only those who had received the two earlier jabs while those yet to take the required jabs are requested to do so without further delay in order to avoid being infected.