Abia State governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, Thursday, received his first dose of Oxford AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine at Government House Umuahia by his Personal Physician, Dr. Mike Enyinnaya, having earlier formally received the official consignment of the vaccine from the federal government.

Speaking after receiving the vaccine, Ikpeazu encouraged all those within the age bracket recommended for the vaccine to avail themselves of the opportunity of being vaccinated.

According to the Governor, the deployment of vaccine as a device to fight covid-19 was a global decision endorsed by the World Health Organization and captured by the NCDC, the lead agency in Nigeria that is battling Covid-19 and charged everybody to key into the agenda.

Speaking also, the Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer of Abia State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Dr. Chinagozie Adindu, assured that the vaccine was good and efficacious, revealing that after this first dose, those vaccinated would receive another second jab in the next two months between eight and 12 weeks.

He disclosed that the quantity would be enough for the frontline health workers, all health workers in the state, both of public and private hospitals, members of the State COVID-19 Inter Ministerial Task Force, law enforcement agencies, among other frontliners.

Dr. Adindu said the second batch of the vaccine would target the vulnerable and those that have underlining ailments and the elderly, saying that at the end of this year, 40 percent of the population in Abia State would have been vaccinated.

Secretary to Government, Barrister Chris Ezem, Commissioner for Health, Dr Joe Osuji, Chief of Staff to the Governor, Dr ACB Agbazuere, State Epidemiologist, Lady Peace Nwogwugwu, were amongst other top officials of the State Government who witnessed the event.