Delta State has recorded the death of 20 Covid-19 patients since the second wave of the pandemic blew across the country, the State Commissioner for health, Dr. Mordi Ononye, has said.
This was disclosed on Thursday 11th March 2021, during a joint press briefing by the Health Commissioner and Chairman, Delta State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Dr. Isioma Okobah on the receipt of 85, 700 doses of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine from the federal government.
He disclosed that the spike of the pandemic under the second wave was recorded in Oshimili south local government area of the state.
“And for this second wave, about 20 deaths and 3, 301 test have been recorded in this second wave
“From the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic up till date, 27, 000 samples have been tested, we have recorded 69 deaths since the beginning of the pandemic”, Ononye said.
Meanwhile, the State governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa would flag off the statewide vaccination against COVID-19, at the Asaba Specialist Hospital at 11:00am on Friday 12th March 2021.
While revealing that the flag-off would be the phase 1, it would be received by those within 18 years and above just as he pointed out that frontline health workers and other categories of health personnel would alongside received the vaccination.
According to him, strategic leaders including the governor and members of the state executive council would be the second category of persons that would be vaccinated in the first phase of the exercise, adding that they would be vaccinated at the Exco Chamber, Government House, Asaba.
Also, non-health frontline workers like military personnel, police and immigration would be vaccinated in the first phase of the exercise, pointing out that the vaccination would take place in all the 64 government owned hospitals and in some selected primary health care centres in the state.
Hear him: “Part of the strategy against COVID-19 is to enhance the immunity of the people through the application of vaccine.
“We will be flagging off the vaccination exercise at the Asaba Specialist Hospital tomorrow (today) at 11am and the exercise would be flagged off by the state governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa with the vaccination of frontline health workers.
“Thereafter, the second category of persons (the strategic leaders) beginning with his Excellency would be vaccinated at the Exco Chamber, Government House, Asaba.
“Also, non-health frontline workers like some military personnel, police and immigration would equaly be vaccinated in the first phase of the exercise.
“The location for this vaccination shall be in all of our 64 hospitals and in some selected primary health care centres, Dr. Ononye said.
“In fact, most of the people administering this vaccine have been involved over the years in the immunisation process. So, the act of injecting vaccine is really not new to them.
“The directive that we are giving to our health care institutions is that any one who develops any manner of reaction after receiving the vaccine should also, be treated free of charge just as the vaccine is free of charge.
“So, we expect a hitch free exercise beginning from Friday. The Delta State Primary Health Care Development Agency has put together, a robust plan to enable this vaccine get to all the centres where they have to be preserved and subsequently administered on the people,” he added.
