The World Health Organisation has stated Nigeria and other African countries have performed woefully in the COVID-19 vaccine administration.
According to the organisation, only 18.7 per cent of the African population had been fully vaccinated, which falls short of the global average of 58 percent.
This was made known on Tuesday by the WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr. Matshidiso Moeti via a statement to commemorate the African Vaccination Week on Tuesday.
Speaking on this year’s theme, “Long Life for All,” Moeti lamented that Africans are yet to embrace it despite the lifesaving potential of vaccines fully.
He said, “Despite the lifesaving potential of vaccines for everyone, everywhere, in Africa, tens of millions of people are still missing out on some, or all, their scheduled immunisation against diseases that vaccines have long eradicated.
“Although 480 million COVID-19 vaccines have been administered in Africa till date, making it the biggest vaccine roll out in the continent’s history, only 18.7% of the African population is fully vaccinated – lagging woefully behind the global average of 58%.”
Moeti, while calling for the acceleration of COVID-19 vaccination efforts urged the countries not to ignore the urgent need to strengthen routine immunisation efforts.