Awka -The Federal Government says it has not authorized private importation of COVID-19 vaccines by any group or individual in Nigeria.
The Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire disclosed this during Tuesday’s Presidential Task Force briefing on COVID-19 in Abuja.
According to him, the Federal Government took the position not to give such approvals due to reports of substandard falsified vaccines in circulation.
”Private importation of COVID-19 vaccines has not been authorised due to reports of substandard falsified vaccines in circulation.
”The deployment of vaccines will be handled by the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) or any of the agency’s accredited facilities for now,” the minister said.
Speaking on the ongoing concerns about the AstraZeneca vaccines, the minister reassured that the vaccines were safe and no adverse effects had been recorded in the country.
“The president, vice president, other leaders, frontline health workers have taken the vaccines and are all doing well”, he said.
The minster also said the National Agency for Food Drugs Administration and Control, NAFDAC, have developed a Health safety app to enable those who have been vaccinated report any adverse reaction.
”We are working with state commissioners for health to meet the COVID-19 support fund requirements.
”We assure all states and local governments that the promised support fund for the process would be paid as soon as the formalities were complete.
“I urge all states to use existing resources so that there are no hitches in the exercise before the disbursement”, he said.
There is widespread speculation over the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccines, following unconfirmed reports from some countries that have rolled out the vaccines that it has severe side effects, one of which is blood clotting.
The News Chronicle can confirm that the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccines have been administered across 34 states and the FCT, except Kogi State.
Kogi is yet to establish a fully functional cold chain facility in order to receive its allocation.
