African vaccine champion on lessons from ending wild polio

Vaccines save millions of lives each year. In August 2020, Africa crossed a historic milestone when it was certified as free of wild polio. Vaccination drives, reaching up to 220 million African children multiple times every year, were integral to achieving this historic milestone.

Receiving Malaria Intermittent Preventive Treatment in pregnancy saves lives 

Abuja April 24, 2021- “I was not aware there was a way I could prevent malaria during pregnancy; I never heard of malaria preventive treatment and I had no mosquito net and unfortunately, I was not attending ante-natal clinic. Maybe if I did, I would have been able to save my baby,” narrates Shafa Magaji, a 24-year-old woman from Gwale Local Government Area (LGA) in Kano State.

Community engagement in Cross River State boosts acceptance of COVID-19 vaccine 

Abuja, 15 April, 2021 - “I received the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine because I was opportune to get the right information to make a sound decision. I got the right information from the social mobilization and community campaign conducted by the Cross River State Primary Health Care Development Agency and the World Health Organization”, says Emmanuel Nthor, a lecturer at the College of Health Technology, Calabar, Cross River State. 

Nigeria will get adequate COVID-19 vaccines-Professor Tomori

Abuja, 1 April 2021 - The COVID-19 outbreak and response has been accompanied by a massive infodemic. Professor Oyewale Tomori, a former WHO regional virologist weighs in on the efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines currently being produced and distributed worldwide and also assures of availability. He is fondly remembered for his role in championing poliovirus eradication efforts in Nigeria. Presently, the government enlists his support on COVID-19 response as an advisor to the Minister of Health.

My vaccination experiences-recipients speak after receiving COVID-19 vaccine 

Abuja, 31 March 2021 - “Nine days after receiving the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, I am yet to experience any negative side effect and I was among the first set of health workers in Nigeria who received the vaccine. The vaccine is safe as I have not felt any different or ill”, says Mary Yarda, a Nursing officer at the National Hospital, Abuja. 

For Nurse Yarda, receiving the vaccine is mind-settling working in an environment that makes health workers susceptible to contracting the virus.