Vaccines: Tallen assures women of gender parity in administration

The Minister of Women Affairs, Mrs Pauline Tallen, on Monday assured Nigerian women of gender parity in the administration of the limited supply of the COVID-19 vaccine in the country.

Tallen gave this assurance while distributing palliatives to 93 women groups in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) as Mother’s Day celebration gifts,

Our correspondent recalls that Nigeria received 3.94 million doses of the COVAX Astrazeneca vaccine on March ­­­­2, to be given freely to people willing to take it.

It was part of the 16 million doses to be delivered to Nigeria in the next few weeks from COVAX, a global scheme to procure and distribute inoculations for free, as the world raced to contain the coronavirus pandemic.

The minister said though the exercise was being handled by the COVID-19 Task Force and the Nigeria Center for Disease Control (NCDC) women, particularly the vulnerable would not be left out in the sharing formula.

“I am sure the President will ensure that there will be equal distribution between the men and the women, so gender parity will be properly addressed,” she said.

On the palliatives, Tallen said that the distribution to various women groups in the FCT was part of activities to commemorate the International Women’s Day celebration (IWD).

She, therefore, urged leaders of the group’s to share the items judiciously and ensure it got to the target persons, which were the vulnerable, widows and persons with disabilities.

“We are handing to these women organisations to be shared among their members and I appeal to them to concentrate more on the vulnerable and the needy,” she said.

She revealed that similar gesture would be replicated across all the states with the support of state governors, their wives and other organisations.

A recipient, Mrs Salamatu Aliyu, Chairperson, Nigeria Labour Congress, National Women Commission, commended the efforts of the ministry for its support to women and children.

Aliyu, also enjoined all to continue to pray towards ending all the challenges affecting the peace and progress of the country.

“We pray that the almighty God take care of the challenges we have in Nigeria today, because if there are challenges we will not concentrate,” she said.

Similarly, Felicia Onibon, President, 100 Women Lobby Group, expressed appreciation to the government for its supports to women.

It was reported that food items such as rice, pasta, vegetable oil, wrappers and others were given to the group leaders to share for their members.