Photos: COVID-19 vaccine safe, says FG as Nigeria receives first batch

Nigeria on Tuesday in Abuja received 3.94 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, becoming the third country in Africa to get the shots through COVAX.

An Emirates flight carrying the vaccine developed by the University of Oxford and drug maker AstraZeneca arrived at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, around 11.30am.

Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, says the vaccine has been certified safe by all recognised authorities for use by Nigerians.

He therefore urged traditional rulers, religious leaders, civil society groups and the media to help spread the message that vaccinations were needed, adding: “This is a fight for everyone.”

Last week, Ghana and Ivory Coast were the first African countries to get vaccines from the scheme, which is led by WHO, Gavi the Vaccine Alliance, and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) with UNICEF as implementing partner.

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control last month approved the AstraZeneca vaccine for use and vaccinations are scheduled to start on Friday.

Apart from Mustapha, who is also PTF chairman, other top government officials that received the vaccine are Minister for Health, Osagie Ehanire; Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed; and Director-General of Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, Chikwe Ihekweazu.

Nigeria has recorded 156,017 cases and 1,915 deaths since the start of the coronavirus pandemic.

Some 237 million doses of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine are to be delivered by the end of May to 142 participating economies, COVAX says.

Director of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, Faisal Shuaib, said,

“As the vaccines arrive in batches due to limited supply we will inform Nigerians about who and where to receive the vaccine.”

The agency has launched a self-registration portal online to ease the roll-out.

“States without a functional airport will have their vaccines transported by road using vans with fitted cold cabins, from the nearest airport,” Shuaib said.

UN Resident Coordinator in Nigeria, Edward Kallon, said, “The UN Country Team in Nigeria reiterates its commitment to support the vaccination campaign in Nigeria and help contain the spread of the virus.

“The arrival of these vaccines in Abuja today marks a milestone for the COVAX Facility in its unprecedented effort to deliver at least 2 billion doses of COVID-19 vaccines globally by the end of 2021.”