By MOSES EMORINKEN, Abuja

The Federal Government has revealed that all five South East States are among the 10 worst performing States in terms of COVID-19 vaccination.

It further stated that States in the North-East and South-South are lagging behind in COVID-19 vaccination.

It however praised Nasarawa and Jigawa for vaccinating over 50 per cent of their target population.

According to the latest data by the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Nasarawa is the leading State in terms of COVID-19 mass vaccination at 68.88 per cent of the target population.

It is closely followed by Jigawa at 55.03 per cent. The other States performing well in vaccination are: Ogun, 19.88 per cent; Oyo, 17.40 per cent and Zamfara, 17.09 per cent.

Among the ten worst performing states in terms of COVID-19 mass vaccination are: Enugu, 3.38 per cent; Edo, 2.91 per cent; Anambra 2.83 per cent; Borno 2.67 per cent; Ebonyi 2.61 per cent; Abia 2.43 per cent; Sokoto 2.34 per cent; Akwa Ibom 1.96 per cent; Imo 1.73 per cent and Bayelsa, 1.39 per cent.

It has also expressed worries over the attitudes of Nigerians towards receiving their second doses of COVID-19 vaccines.

The government disclosed that as high as 40 per cent of eligible Nigerians due for their second COVID-19 vaccine doses have missed vaccination.

Speaking during a media workshop on COVID-19 vaccination in Abuja, the Program Manager of the COVID-19 Risk Communication Centre of the NPHCDA, Dr Binta Bako, said: “Based on previous campaigns, we are having as high as 40 per cent dropout rate. But we are going to disentangle that to look at those that are due and have not come for their second dose of COVID-19 vaccine.

“This is to let you know the numbers that are supposed to come out for their second doses. The dropout for the second dose is on the high side.”

According to a statement by the agency concerning Mass Vaccination Campaign (MVC), “Meet our top five (5) performing Governors and their states on the COVID-19 mass vaccination campaign in Nigeria. Top 10 performing states have maintained their positions in the last 24 hours.

“In 48 hours, six States moved backwards by at least a step while six other states leaped by at least a step forward. All the 5 states in the South-East zone are in the league of the 10 worst performing states. How is your Governor faring?”

According to latest vaccination data from the agency, as of January 11, 2022, 12,068,803 of total eligible persons targeted for COVID-19 vaccination were reached with the first dose while 4,866,103 were reached with the second dose (fully vaccinated).

In total, 16,934,906 have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. However, 7,202,700 are yet to get their second dose of the COVID-19 vaccines.

In related COVID-19 pandemic events, 15 people have died from the ravaging COVID-19 pandemic in four days, according to the situation report of the epidemiological data from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).

The NCDC report revealed that from January 8 – 11, 2022, death toll increased from 3,071 to 3,086, bringing the total death tally to 15.

The Nation reports that since the beginning of 2022, 6,813 COVID-19 cases have been reported. (The Nation)

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