Following the expiration of one million doses of COVID-19 vaccine, the Federal Government has announced that it would no longer accept vaccines with short-shelf life as it mounts undue pressure on health workers to administer them.
It disclosed that over 10 million vaccines with short-shelf life received free of charge have been administered so far in the country.
Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, had on December 8, confirmed the report of the expiration of doses of vaccines supplied to the country.
Executive Director/CEO of National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHCDA), Dr Faisal Shuiab, disclosed Monday at an emergency media briefing by the Presidential Steering Committee on COVID-19, that over a million of the expired vaccines which has already been withdrawn will be destroyed publicly by the National Agency for Food Drugs and Administration Control (NAFDAC), in line with environmental protocol at a date yet to be decided.
He said the decision to destroy the vaccine publicly is to assure Nigerians that there is no intention to use them.
Meanwhile, the Federal Government has it will not ban travellers from the United Kingdom (UK) United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Canada after these countries banned flights from Nigeria as a result of the COVID-19 Omicron variant pandemic.
Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, made the clarification at the PSC briefing. He was earlier quoted to have said that Federal Government was going to retaliate the ban.
Sirika was further quoted to have said that the decision to ban these countries in retaliation would be made by the Presidential Steering Committee (PSC) on COVID-19 latest by Tuesday.
However, during the briefing, yesterday, he said: “The PSC is working with mandate ministries to address the issues surrounding the restriction imposed by some countries on travelers from Nigeria on account of the omicron variant. While each country is entitled to put in place measures to protect its citizens. Nigeria has similar responsibilities. However, based on existing relationships, Nigeria has initiated diplomatic steps to make these countries reverse their course. This is on-going in the interest of all parties concerned and we expect that positive results would emerge within the next one week.
“The PSC also evaluated the developments on the relationship between Nigeria and the UAE and we are pleased to inform you that the position of the federal government is in line with established ICAO protocols and the spirit of the BASA signed with the UAE. Our sovereignty remains paramount and mutual respects shall be our guiding principle in as much as it should be in the best interest of Nigeria.
“The PSC will at its next regular briefing on Monday, December 20, 2021 brief you fully on developments.”
Part of the media report had also quoted the minister of Aviation as saying that “there is a case of Saudi Arabia, which put Nigeria on the banned list – no visa, no travel, etc. So also Canada. So, today (Saturday) there was a meeting, I participated in a zoom meeting, COVID-19 task force, just for your information also.
“We have given our input in aviation, it is not acceptable by us and we recommend that those countries be also put on red list, as they did similarly to us.
“If they don’t allow our citizens to go into their countries who are their airlines coming to pick from our country?
“So, I am very sure that in the next few days, between now and Monday, or perhaps Tuesday, at maximum, all those countries will be put on the red list from the PSC from the task force of COVID-19. Once they are put on the red list, which means they are banned, of course, their airlines will be banned. I am so sorry, we are going through a difficult moment, but we have to do it in the interest of our country.”
