We will like to see Buhari and Osinbajo take the COVID19 vaccine in the full glare of the public - NPHCDA boss Faisal Shuaib

As Nigeria expects the first batch of COVID19 vaccines by the end of January, the Executive Director, National Primary Health Care Development Agency, Faisal Shuaib, says it will be nice to see President Buhari, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Secretary to the Government of the Federation Boss Mustapha, and other top government officials take the COVID19 vaccine in the full glare of the public.

Shuaib said this when he spoke at the daily briefing of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 in Abuja on Thursday, January 7. According to him, such action by leaders of the nation will send a message to Nigerians that the vaccine is safe.

He said:

“On Tuesday, I had mentioned that we will like to see a situation where Mr President, the Vice President, the SGF, critical leaders come and take the vaccine in full glare of the public to demonstrate that this vaccine is safe.

So, we have to make provisions for those. But even in developed countries, what we have seen is that apart from the prioritisation of health workers, you have to also identify critical leaders that you don’t want them to be wiped off by the virus.

For example, in warfare, if you want to destroy your enemies, you look for specific leaders: captains, the generals, once you decapitate them, then the soldiers will become weak.

So, as much as possible you do not want to also leave your leaders vulnerable to COVID-19. It doesn’t mean you want to prioritise politicians, that is not correct. I emphasised during the last briefing that we will prioritise our health workers because they are the ones in direct contacts with cases in isolation units.”