By Bob MajiriOghene Etemiku, our Abuja Correspondent
Confusion appears to be trailing the Covid 19 vaccination exercise at the Federal Medical Center situated at the Jabi Road in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory of Nigeria.
Our investigation showed that some residents seeking to take their second jabs have been turned back and directed to Area 3 in Abuja.
“We do not have a database here at the Federal Medical Centre, and it is only at Area 3, and at the primary health care Centers that you can access your records if you do not have your vaccination card with you,” an official of the hospital said.
Many Nigerians seeking to take their second jabs and who do not have their cards are having difficulty with getting their second vaccination.
“I took my first jab in Lagos, and was told that I could take the second one anywhere in Nigeria. I took the extra care to take a shot of my card. I have presented this card on my phone with all the details but was turned back.
“What kind of Federal Medical Centre will not have a database of those it has vaccinated? How then do they come about those figures they publish in the papers if this big Centre does not have a central database of those it has vaccinated?” a resident who refused to tell Alltimepost.com his name asked.
Since the news of an Omicron variant of the Covid 19 broke, most Nigerians have been eager to complete their jabs. While many have been attended to, others are having difficulties because of issues related to access of information concerning their vaccination cards.
Alltimepost.com visited the Wuse Market Centre set up for those interested in taking the Covid 19 vaccination. The officials sit in a makeshift Centre, under trees, fueling suspicion that vaccinations conducted under trees may not find their way into the national archive.
Alltimepost.com sought to speak with the Chief Medical Director of the FMC Abuja, Prof Saad Ahmed but was directed to the head of Admin. “I don’t know anything about a central database for COVID 19 here.
“My work is admin, and as you can see I am here preparing documents related to the administration of this facility in 2022. You should try to speak with the head of virology, or the Minister of Health and they will be in the best position to tell you about a Covid 19 database at the FMC,” the FMC Head of Admin said.
In a phone conversation, Dr. Chris Osa Isokpunwu, Senior Technical Adviser to Nigeria’s Minister of Health Dr. Osagie Ehanire, said that because the Federal Medical Centre is a tertiary health provider, all the details concerning Nigerians were better accessed at primary health care Centers.
“There is indeed a database at the Federal Medical Centre, but it is populated from data at the primary healthcare Centers spread across Nigeria.
“I want to use this medium though to inform Nigerians that irrespective of where you took your first dose, you must carry your vaccination card with you and present it whenever you are ready to take your second dose,” Dr. Isokpunwu said to Alltimepost.com Correspondent in Abuja.
Residents who do not have their vaccination cards, he stated, cannot take their second dose, and cannot retake the dose.
Dr. Isokpunwu said that even if they were to visit a primary healthcare Centre seeking to access their vaccination data, chances remain that they may not get access but be treated as cases of persons who have lost their vaccination cards.
It is an established fact that Omicron is spreading far and fast in Africa. Even though there is no evidence to indicate that most Nigerians cannot be vaccinated because they do not have their vaccination cards, Nigerians expect the government to re-strategize, and make the process less frustrating.
