From Atiku Sarki, Abuja
The Presidential Steering Committee on Covid-19 and the Federal Ministry of Health are exploring ways of making Covid-19 vaccines more available to all Nigerians including federal civil servants and corporate entities.
The Executive Director of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Dr. Faisal Shuaib disclosed this while briefing journalists in Abuja on the updates of the Covid-19 rollout exercise in the country.
He said once these vaccines are made equitably available to all the people of the nation, then they would need to have a frank discussion about justice, fairness and liberty that exist around vaccine hesitancy.
According to him, if some individuals refuse to take the vaccine, hence endangering those who have or those who could not due to medical exemptions, then “we have to apply the basic rule of law which stipulates that your human right stops where mine begins, so, you have a right to refuse vaccines, but you do not have the right to endanger the health of others.”
Dr. Shuaibu reminded all the people of the country that evidence of vaccination against Covid-19 is now mandatory most especially for those pilgrims to the holy cities of Saudi Arabia and Jerusalem.
He urged both religions that are planning to perform pilgrimage next year or in the future to get vaccinated now to avoid any delays.
The Executive Director of the agency also called the attention of the people of the country that as the Covid-19 vaccines are available worldwide, some have made vaccination a requirement to gain access to their countries.