The Ekiti State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Oyebanji Filani, has declared that no fewer than 10,354 persons have been vaccinated with the Covid-19 Astrazeneca vaccine, with no reported case of adverse effect from those administered with the drug.

The commissioner said a total of 78 teams have been despatched across the state as government ordered that the vaccine be taken to all the 16 local government areas to benefit the rural dwellers.

He said the vaccination began with highly placed public officials like Governor Kayode Fayemi and members of his cabinet and front line medical personnel, adding that the time has come for ordinary citizens to be vaccinated.

Filani spoke in Ado Ekiti on Sunday, during a press conference elucidating the level the state has reached in the administration of the vaccine on citizens.

He said:

At the start of the public vaccination, we despatched 78 teams. But we have added additional 18 to make it 96, because we have reached the local government level now. The vaccine is also available in all primary and secondary health facilities in the state.

We have not experienced significant or serious adverse effect in Ekiti, even in Nigeria. We are grateful to traditional and religious rulers for coming out to take the vaccines publicly, that is how it should be.

We are confident that the vaccine is safe. It is free completely, we are not charging anybody. In all secondary facilities, we have the Covid-19 vaccine kits where those with adverse signs can be referred for immediate treatment.

Filani said the government of Dr Fayemi is committed to free health services, where the poor get free treatments for their ailments.

The commissioner added that over 30,000 people have registered for State Health Insurance Scheme(SHIS) to get highly subsidised healthcare and prevent untimely death of the citizens.

On the welfare of medical officers in the state, Filani said:

The government has excellent relationship with doctors, nurses and other medical officers. We pay their salaries, allowances as and when due and provide the conducive environment for their optimal performances.

He said the government will continue to give impetus to the trado-medical practitioners to thrive in Ekiti.

We continue to support them to operate effectively in Ekiti. They are supposed to play complementary roles. We will have a department fully established here in my Ministry to regulate their practice, because they have to conform to the global best practices.

Drugs are products of nature and once the herbal medicine is about nature, we are ready to embrace it,

he said.

Filani added that the government will continue to monitor all medical personnel operating in Ekiti public hospitals, saying the state won’t allow their laxity to compromise the safety of the citizens.

The commissioner clarified that cancer diseases are no longer death sentence in Ekiti if detected early, saying the government has proficient experts that can handle radiotherapy, chemotherapy, surgery and hormonal treatments of victims.

Justin Nwosu

Justin Nwosu is the founder and publisher of Flavision. His core interest is in writing unbiased news about Nigeria in particular and Africa in general. He’s a strong adherent of investigative journalism, with a bent on exposing corruption, abuse of power and societal ills.