The World Health Organization (WHO) has promised to donate 20 million doses of vaccines annually towards eradicating yellow fever in the country. Briefing newsmen yesterday in Abuja, WHO Representative, Dr Fiona Braka said the organization was ready to assist the country in achieving total vaccination of the populace in line with the Elimination of Yellow Epidemics (EYE) by 2026. “The global community is committed to this course and has pledged 20 million doses annually to achieve the target despite the global vaccine shortfall,” Braka said.
There were recent outbreaks of yellow fever in Kogi, Kwara, Zamfara, Niger, Kebbi and Nasarawa states. Government will kick off the second phase of the preventive mass campaign against yellow fever in four states; Kogi, Kwara , Zamfara and Borno states today. The first phase was completed in 2014 covering 20 states and the Federal Capital Territory. About 10.4 million people were vaccinated in the exercise. The second phase preventive mass campaign targets persons between 09 months to 45 years. Braka said people could be protected from yellow fever through vaccination, saying that the planned campaign was part of the preventive measures to halt the spread and also protect the people. Executive Director, National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) Dr Faisal Shuaib said the global non availability of Yellow Fever vaccines resulted in the plan to phase the campaign for the next nine years.