Nigeria on Tuesday received 3.94 million doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID – 19 vaccine.
The vaccine was received through the COVID-19 Vaccines Global Assess Facility (COVAX).
COVAX, an initiative co-led by the Vaccine Alliance, GAVI and the World Health Organisation seeks to ensure equitable access to a COVID – 19 vaccine by dividing about two billion doses across 92 low-and middle-income countries.
Nigeria is the third African country to benefit from the COVAX facility after Ghana and Ivory Coast.
The COVID – 19 vaccines arrived the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja aboard the Boeing 777 300 ER aircraft of the Emirates Airline at 11.45am.
The Secretary to the Government of the Federation and Chairman Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, Boss Mustapha, who led the government team to receive the vaccine, said the arrival of the Astra-Zeneca vaccines, marked a significant milestone in the national response to the COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria.
He said, “For over one year, humanity has remained under the siege of a virus that has impacted on lives, livelihood, destroyed economies, governance systems, medical services, socio-economic systems.
“The successful development of vaccines and the accelerated process for emergency authorisation has brought hope to humanity all over the world. Its arrival in Nigeria today has been made possible through purposeful leadership by President Muhammadu Buhari, in collaboration with domestic stakeholders and the international community to ensure that what we are offering Nigerians is safe.”
Mustapha said prior to the vaccines phase, government had introduced and promoted the non-pharmaceutical interventions, adding that they remained valid measures under the Infection Prevention and Control Policy.
“Although this consignment of vaccines is just 3.924 million doses of the expected 16 million doses of the vaccine from the COVAX Facility, we are grateful to the coalition that has made this possible for us to receive it.”
The Executive Director, National Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr Faisal Shuaib, said eligible population from 18 years and above, including pregnant women, would be vaccinated.
“To register for #COVID19 Vaccination, visit our website http://nphcda.gov.ng and click on ‘COVID-19 Vaccination e-registration,” the agency said in a tweet.
Also the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Nigeria, Edward Kallon, said arrival of the vaccines marks a major milestone.
He said, “The arrival of these vaccines in Abuja 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.”
He reiterated the commitment of the UN team in Nigeria to support the vaccination campaign and help contain the spread of the virus.
The Managing Director for Country Programmes at Gavi, Thabani Maphosa, said the organisation viewed the delivery of the vaccine is a landmark moment for the country to end the acute phase of the pandemic.
The World Health Organisation Representative in Nigeria, Walter Mulombo, congratulated Nigeria for its participation in COVAX efforts and its commitment to protecting Nigerians against this pandemic.
He said the vaccines had undergone rigorous regulatory processes at global and country-level and have been deemed safe and effective.
The UNICEF Nigeria Country Representative, Peter Hawkins, said, “The arrival of the COVID – 19 vaccines into Nigeria is critical in curbing the pandemic. The only way out of this crisis is to ensure that vaccinations are available to all.”
