Nigeria on Tuesday took delivery of 3.9 million doses of AstraZeneca vaccine, the first batch of the 16 million expected through the World Health Organisation-led COVAX facility.
The government is expecting 129 million vaccine doses to vaccinate 70 per cent of its population within two years.
The consignment was received through the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport in Abuja aboard Emirates Airlines.
The vaccine will be administered in two doses.
At the end of Tuesday’s ceremonies to mark its arrival, a few vials of the vaccines were expected to be handed over to the National Agency for Food Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) team for analysis between today and tomorrow.
Executive Director, National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Dr. Faisal Shuaib, said: “Further to the clearance by NAFDAC, the PTF, FMOH and NPHCDA, strategic leaders will be at the treatment centre of the National Hospital on Friday, where the first vaccination site will be set up to commence the vaccination of frontline health workers and support staff. On Saturday, key strategic leaders will receive the first dose of the vaccine.
“On Monday, more vaccination sites would have been set up at designated locations such as National Assembly clinic, State House clinic and Federal medical centre, Jabi, where leaders such as the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senate President, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Attorney General of the Federation, Inspector General of Police, the Ministers and Ministers of States, Senators, House of Representatives, traditional leaders and religious leaders will be vaccinated.
“Vaccine distribution to the States for the first phase vaccination process will begin.
Working with CACOVID, plans are on ground for a cargo plane provided by them to transport the vaccines to the States by air. States without a functional airport will have their vaccines transported by road using vans with fitted Cold Cabins, from the nearest airport. The vaccines will be stored at the State Cold Stores, from where they will be transported by road to local government council Cold Stores
“Once activities have commenced in the States, there would be strict monitoring by PTF, FMOH, NPHCDA and independent bodies such as EFCC, DSS, ICPC, and Civil Society Organisations. States/health facilities/health workers that are identified as defaulting from the standard protocol and guidelines for this phase of vaccination would be sanctioned.
