How Lagos Intends To Fund Covid-19 Vaccine Programme —Sanwo-Olu

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu has disclosed that the State government is in talks with the organised private sector to raise funds required to purchase the Covid-19 vaccines.

The Governor revealed that although the State Government had earmarked billions in fighting the scourge of the Covid-19, his administration was engaging with the private sector as the amount they had would not be enough.

Governor Sanwo-Olu made the disclosure while appearing on a Channels Television programme, Sunday Politics, on Sunday, 24 January.

“The conversations are still at various levels. We are speaking with the organised private sector so they can help us raise some of the finance that is required,” Sanwo-Olu said.

“We have our friends in the private sector who are saying to us that they understand this is a public health issue but we also can work with you. The citizens are your citizens but they also are our staff,” he added.

The governor also said that his administration did not need to vaccinate over 20 million residents of the state against the deadly coronavirus pandemic.

He said, “It is important for me to make this. We don’t have to vaccinate the 20 or 22 million population that we have. The plan is to ensure that there is herd immunity and that typically speaks about 50 to 60 percent of your population, that is the kind of target that you really meet.

“We have started a conversation with some of the vaccine manufacturers. Pfizer for example. I have made contact with them. Johnson and Johnson are not out yet; the Moderna has written to us and we have written back to them.”