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Updated: Fake COVID-19 vaccines are being imported into Nigeria, NAFDAC warns

Published

4 years ago

January 17, 2021

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) says it has reports of the importation of fake COVID-19 vaccines into Nigeria.

Director General of the agency, Prof Mojisola Adeyeye, who stated this during a virtual press conference, urged Nigerians to avoid the fake vaccines, saying, “They can cause COVID-like illnesses or other serious diseases that could kill.”

She said the agency had not received any application from COVID vaccine manufacturers yet and therefore no vaccines had been approved by NAFDAC.

“COVID-19 vaccines are new, and the side effects or adverse effects must be well monitored, therefore, if NAFDAC does not approve, the public should not use,” the NAFDAC boss said.

Adeyeye said no government establishment or agencies should order COVID-19 vaccines without confirming from NAFDAC if the vaccine had been approved.

However, she said NAFDAC “is discussing with manufacturers of COVID-19 vaccines” concerning potential Emergency Use Authorisation (EUA), registration or licensing of their product.

She assured applicants that if Phase 3 clinical data are very convincing and robust with regard to safety and efficacy, and the vaccine submitted for WHO for Emergency Use Listing, “NAFDAC will welcome the application for Emergency Use Authorisation in Nigeria.”

She added that companies manufacturing the vaccines cold submit their application to NAFDAC if genuine.

On the issue of the EUA, the NAFDAC DG said it would use “reliance” or “recognition” to expedite action on approvals for vaccines already approved by more matured regulatory authorities.

However, she said that the full dossier submitted by the manufacturer or Market Authorisation Holder (MAH) would be thoroughly reviewed by the vaccine committee made up of multiple directorates in the agency – Drug Registration and Regulatory Affairs, Drug Evaluation and Research, Pharmacovigilance and Post Marketing Surveillance, Drug, Biologics and Vaccines Laboratory Services.

Despite the use of Reliance for the EUA, NAFDAC DG said it would note clinical peculiarities in form of serious or Adverse Effects Following Immunisation (AEFIs) in the dossier or application as a guide and caution on what to look out for in each subject after immunisation.

She said that the agency had been training its personnel for this very important aspect of the immunisation.

“The agency established COVID-19 Vaccine Committee that has been busy developing the guidelines and guidance. NAFDAC is the first National Regulatory Agency in Africa to have Guidance on Regulatory Preparedness for EUA, Licensing or Access to COVID-19 Vaccines.

“NAFDAC initiated multi-stakeholder collaboration with National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), UNICEF, WHO and Ministry of Health. The focus is to use a holistic approach for the effective immunisation or delivery of the vaccines and monitor any Adverse Effects Following Immunisation (AEFI).

“The agency will also use its recently launched Med Safety App for Active Pharmacovigilance of the vaccines in collaboration with the sister agencies. The App is free, and millions of healthcare workers can download it free for ADR reporting. In-country training on the use of the App has begun for the healthcare givers,” she said.

The NAFDAC boss said once approval was given by the agency, it would thoroughly monitor the distribution and use of COVID-19 vaccines in the country to safeguard Nigerians from any possible adverse effects.

Adeyeye said NAFDAC planned to use the traceability with GS1 technology to monitor the vaccine distribution in Nigeria using Global Trade Item Number (GTIN).

She said the goal was to prevent fake vaccines from infiltrating the supply chain and to ensure there was no diversion, adding that the effort would create a reliable and predictable supply chain.

According to her, a multi-stakeholder technical working group has been meeting to address different issues, from access to distribution to traceability (track and trace) of the vaccines, to monitoring of adverse effects following immunisation.

Lagos reopens two isolation centres

Meanwhile, Lagos State Government has announced that it will be reopening two COVID-19 isolation centres which were initially decommissioned, following the increased cases of coronavirus in the state.

According to the state Commissioner for Health Prof. Akin Abayomi, the reopening will boost confidence in tackling cases as they arise.

Abayomi said, “Just to be on the safe side, we are reopening two of our decommissioned facilities, that is at Ajah and Ikeja. We are also reopening Gbagada isolation facility.

“This is just to give us the confidence that in case we suddenly continue to see higher numbers of severe cases, we will have somewhere to manage them.”

The commissioner also revealed that the state government was working on building oxygen plants for more health facilities.

Abayomi added, “In addition, we are making our own oxygen so we just erected the first of two plants at IDH. The second one will be at Gbagada and that plant produces oxygen on the grounds of our hospital and it can produce up to 60 cylinders a day. A very sick patients can use up to four or six cylinders in 24 hours.”

The story was first published by Thisday and adapted by Newstrends with minimum correction.

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Leadership dispute: NURTW cautions AGF, IGP against aiding Baruwa

Published

3 hours ago

November 27, 2024

Trends Admin

Leadership dispute: NURTW cautions AGF, IGP against aiding Baruwa

The National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) has urged the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, and the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, to resist efforts to drag them into the leadership dispute in the union.

Reacting to a recent letter by lawyer to Alhaji Tajudeen Baruwa, calling on the AGF and the IGP to help enforce a judgment, the NURTW claimed that the said judgment was allegedly obtained by misleading the court.

Speaking in Abuja on Wednesday, a National Officer of the NURTW and immediate past National Financial Secretary, Comrade Uwem James said it was prejudicial of the court for Baruwa to seek to enforce a judgment when cases relating to the dispute over the union’s leadership were still pending in court.

James claimed that Baruwa’s tenure, in which he (James) served as National Financial Secretary) lapsed in August 2023, adding that Baruwa was only seeking to come back through the back door by allegedly concocting a case in which he claimed to have got a favourable judgment.

James, who gave a background to the whole leadership dispute in the union, accused the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) of wrongly taking side with Baruwa without seeking to understand the root of the dispute.

He said cases relating to the question of the union’s leadership were still pending before the National Industrial Court in Lagos and Abuja, adding that applications are still before those courts that yet to be determined.

James added: “Alhaji Tajudeen Ibikunle Baruwa, in defiance of the order of injunction that parties maintain status guo ante belum and the application to restrain him pending in courts, both in Lagos and Abuja, still went ahead to declare himself President at a place in Lafia on 23rd, August 2023 despite all the suits against him.

“As at then, he showed very clear disregard for the rule of law, court order and pending litigations; and now he wants to enforce court orders in his favour, forgetting that he who comes to equity must come with clean hands.

“We are constrained to bring this matter to the public domain in order to clarify some misconceptions among members of the public due to Alh. Baruwa’s outcry of victimization.

“We know as a common order that ‘it is one who is cheated that cries to the court of public justice for redress,’ but the reverse seems to be the case here, where Alh. Baruwa is the one who had heated but seems to be crying the loudest.

“Be it noted that the two cases filed against Alhaji Tajudeen Ibikunle Baruwa are pending before the National Industrial Court cill date.

“It will therefore prejudice us and the path of justice should Alhaji Ibikunle Baruwa be assisted in any way to enforce any court judgment that we believe he fraudulently obtained by challenging the wrong parties on divergent issues, while cases bordering on his election and constitution of the union, which were first raised and filed in court by us are still pending and yet to be determined.

“Moreso, it will render our cases useless and may lead to chaos, with the possibility of breakdown of law and order in the union and society at large,” he said.

James prayed the court, where the cases are pending, particularly the one marked: NICN/UY/27/2023 between Comrade Uwem James & six others vs. NURTW, Tajudeen Baruwa & two others, “to expedite action for a speedy trial and determination of the case, which we believe, will bring a final settlement on this matter.”

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Tinubu appoints Jami’u Abiola as Senior Special Assistant

Published

6 hours ago

November 27, 2024

Trends Admin

Jami’u Abiola

Tinubu appoints Jami’u Abiola as Senior Special Assistant

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has appointed Jami’u Abiola, son of the late MKO Abiola, as the Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to the President on Linguistics and Foreign Matters.

Senator George Akume, Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), announced the appointment, which takes effect on November 14, 2024.

Akume’s statement, issued by Mr. Segun Imohiosen, Director of Information and Public Relations, highlighted that the appointment aligns with the Certain Political and Judicial Office Holders (Salaries and Allowances, etc) Act 2008, as amended.

Tinubu appoints Jami’u Abiola as Senior Special Assistant

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Hoodlums beat police officer to death in Adamawa

Published

6 hours ago

November 27, 2024

Trends Admin

Adamawa State Police Public Relations Officer, Suleiman Yahaya Nguroje

Hoodlums beat police officer to death in Adamawa

Some hoodlums in Adamawa State have reportedly beaten a policeman, Ibrahim Maizabuwa, to death.

Two persons, Ezekiel Kefas and Stephen Zabadi from Wamsa Suwa Ward in Lamurde LGA of the state, have been arrested in connection with the murder.

The command’s Public Relations Officer, SP Suleiman Yahaya Nguroje, confirmed the incident in a statement on Wednesday.

He stated that the suspects were arrested on November 19, 2024 after the deceased’s son, Danlami Ibrahim Maizabuwa, reported the incident to the police.

According to him, investigations revealed that the police officer was killed and buried in the community.

The deceased was said to have visited his friend, Ezekiel Kefas, in the community.

The police command’s spokesman said during interrogation, Kefas claimed that the officer was killed by a group of thugs after he destroyed property and assaulted people in his (Kefas’) house.