The National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHCDA) has said that 50,000 persons would take COVID-19 vaccines in the first phase of the rollout.
NPHCDA’s director, Department of Diseases Control and Immunisation, Dr. Bassey Ekposen who disclosed this at a virtual press briefing in Abuja yesterday announced that Nigeria would take delivery of 100,000 doses of vaccines by the end of January.
He said health workers across the country would form the bulk of the initial beneficiaries of the vaccines.
He also said the federal government had put in place a technical working group for COVID-19 vaccine headed by the Executive Director of the NPHCDA, Dr. Faisal Shuaib that would coordinate the implementation of the COVID-19 vaccination in the country.
He said the technical group is made up of all relevant ministries, parastatals and partners.
“The team is planning to introduce COVID-19 vaccine with the sole aim is interrupting the transmission of COVID-19 in all parts of the country,” he said.
Ekposen said there are many vaccines available globally for dealing with COVID-19 but that the country was considering two options, the COVAX scheme which is coming through the GAVI – Global Vaccines and Immunization that Nigerians are used to.
He said through GAVI, the poor and low income would be able to access the COVID-19 vaccines when they are ready.
He said apart from the COVAX scheme, Nigeria also has other alternative sources to obtain the COVID-19 vaccines, like the Russians and United Arab Emirates.
He said the technical group was working on plans to also source vaccines from these countries as an alternative platform to get enough vaccines for our citizens.
Ekposen said it was important to use the occasion to clear the fears about the safety of those that would take the vaccines, stating that as far the agency is concerned, the COVID-19 vaccines to be administered are “safe and effective”.
“A lot of work is going on to ensure that the vaccines that will be introduced in Nigeria are safe and effective,” he said.
On the timelines for the introduction of the vaccines, the director said as soon as the vaccines arrive in the country, there would be some kind of prioritisation in order to optimise the limited resources available.
He said the arrangement would be based on global best practices, adding the frontline health workers, airport workers, immigration, security men who are on essential duties will receive priority.
He also said the segment of the society that would be prioritised are the elderly, those above ages of 50 and those that have conditions like asthma, diabetes, heart disease and hypertension.
Ekposen said the agency was targeting to vaccinate 70 per cent Nigerians between 2021 and 2022.
While explaining the handling and distribution mechanism for the COVID-19 vaccines, the NPHCDA said “immediately the vaccines arrive in Abuja, they will be taken to our National Strategic Cold Store in Abuja where we have ultra-cold chain freezers for storage.”
With ThisDay report
