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Tag: COVID-19 VACCINES

  • 2.5bn people in 130 countries are without COVID-19 vaccines, WHO warns

    2.5bn people in 130 countries are without COVID-19 vaccines, WHO warns

    The World Health Organisation (WHO) says three quarters of all COVID-19 vaccinations were only in 10 countries, accounting for almost 60 per cent of global Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

    “Around 130 countries, with 2.5 billion people, are yet to administer a single dose”, WHO Director- General, Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus said at a regular press briefing on COVID-19, in Geneva, on Friday.

    “On Wednesday, COVAX published its forecast for the distribution of vaccines to participating countries. Countries are ready to go, but the vaccines aren’t there. We need countries to share doses, once they have finished vaccinating health workers and older people.

    “We also need a massive scale-up in production. Manufacturers can do more: having received substantial public funding, we encourage all manufacturers to share their data and technology to ensure global equitable access to vaccines.’’

    Ghebreyesus repeated his call on companies to share their dossiers with WHO faster and more fully than they have been doing, so that the oragnisation would review them for emergency use listing.

    Similarly, he called on companies to emulate last week’s announcement by French pharmaceutical giant Sanofi that it would make its manufacturing infrastructure available for the production of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine.

    “Companies can also issue non-exclusive licenses to allow other producers to manufacture their vaccine – a mechanism that has been used before to expand access to treatments for HIV and hepatitis C,’’ he said.

  • Investment in COVID-19 vaccines will strengthen Nigeria’s health care, not weaken it, FG replies Bill Gates

    Investment in COVID-19 vaccines will strengthen Nigeria’s health care, not weaken it, FG replies Bill Gates

    Contrary to the claims of the co-founder of Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Mr. Bill Gates, Nigerian Government has said that investing in procurement of COVID-19 vaccine would not only help in the fight against the coronavirus, but will also help to strengthen the nation’s primary health care system in the long run.

    Dr Faisal Shuaib, Executive Director, National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), said this on Friday in obvious response to assertion by Gates during an interview session with journalists last Tuesday.

    TheNewsGuru.com, TNG reports that the Bill and Melinda Gates co-founder had told the newsmen that Nigerian government should rather invest the funds it has set aside for procurement of COVID-19 to put the country’s primary health care system on a stronger footing.

    “There is no doubt that the impact of putting money into the health system particularly the primary healthcare system will be very high in terms of saving children’s lives. Nigeria should not divert the very limited money that it has for health into trying to pay a high price for COVID-19 vaccines,” the Microsoft founder said while responding to question on federal government’s plans to invest about N400 billion in procurement of vaccine.

    The Microsoft founder also noted that Nigeria will get free vaccine from the COVAX facility initiative being coordinated by the GAVI Vaccine Alliance set up to ensure equitable access to to the COVID-19 vaccine and as such, there is no need for the country to raise funds to procure the medical commodity.

    But while disagreeing with Gates, Dr Shuaib said the structure and skills that will be acquired by the country through the administration of COVID-19 vaccine will contribute to the strengthening of the nation’s healthcare system in the long run.

    Shuaib, whose agency is in charge of vaccine administration and primary healthcare at the national level in Nigeria, said this in an interview with News Agency of of Nigeria (NAN), in Abuja.

    He noted for instance that engagement of additional healthcare workers to administer the vaccine would ensure non-disruption of routine services.

    The NPHCDA boss also noted that the intensive capacity building and the acquisition of new and additional cold chain equipment will, on the other hand, contribute immensely to strengthening the PHC system.

    Dr Faisal Shuaib

    Shuaib said long after the country had overcome the COVID-19 pandemic, the lessons learnt, new skills acquired by health workers and the infrastructural improvements would place the country in a better stead to manage future pandemics.

    “This holistic approach to health system strengthening, which is driven through the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19, is based on global standards and is in line with observations and recommendations recently made by our donors and development partners.

    “Any idea or report that says this approach does not prioritise strengthening of the health system, stems from a lack of complete understanding of the health system and should be disregarded,” he said.

    He added that while Nigeria was appreciative of the global effort, through the COVAX facility, the delay in accessing vaccines meant that eligible countries would have to explore all channels, that could ensure fair prices, safe and effective vaccines for its populace.

    “This is why the Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, is also engaged with the African Union, through the African Vaccine Acquisition Task Team.

    “The Federal Government is committed to securing the much-needed COVID-19 vaccines, taking into consideration safety, efficacy, cost and required logistics, to stop ongoing community transmission of the virus.

    “As the country awaits the arrival of the first batch of COVID-19 vaccine in February, the PTF has called on State governments to put all the necessary logistics in place to ensure a successful vaccination exercise,” he said.

    He added that traditional leaders in the country had pledged their support for the COVID-19 vaccine in the country, urging the Federal Government to procure adequate quantities of the vaccine to meet the needs of the country.

  • Buhari lectures Nigerians on importance of COVID-19 vaccines

    Buhari lectures Nigerians on importance of COVID-19 vaccines

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday urged Nigerians to support the federal government in its effort to curtail the spread of the coronavirus pandemic, especially as it relates to vaccine education.

    The President made the appeal while receiving the leadership of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), led by its President-General and Sultan of Sokoto, His Eminence, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar.

    Nigeria is currently battling a second wave of the coronavirus pandemic as cases continue to be recorded across the country.

    “As Government continues to work towards managing this crisis, it is also critical that you lend your voices in support of those basic but fundamental protocols that can significantly curtail the spread of this disease – Washing of our hands, Using facemasks and ensuring social distancing as much as possible have been proven to be our first line of defense in the fight against this virus,” the President said.

    “Furthermore and much more important, when the vaccines which we are working hard to procure for the nation arrive, please, please join in the drive to educate people that these vaccines are meant to save lives and protect everyone.”

    On Thursday, Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire, said Nigeria had secured an additional 41 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines.

    The President, while addressing the Muslim delegation, also warned against stoking ethnic and religious prejudices, according to a statement signed by spokesman Garba Shehu.

    “The Federal Government will continue to promote religious freedom as it is a constitutional responsibility,” he said. I must thank the Muslim ummah for promoting inter-religious dialogue in the country. It is self-evident that if the country must work, we must continue to work together in spite of our ethnic, religious and political differences because Nigeria is our collective project.

    “Accordingly, the Federal Government under my leadership does not and will not allow religious prejudice or partisanship to influence any of its decisions and policies. It is my solemn decision to be fair and just to all segments of society.”

  • Killer COVID-19 vaccines claim: Yahaya Bello risking lives of Kogi residents – Fayemi

    Killer COVID-19 vaccines claim: Yahaya Bello risking lives of Kogi residents – Fayemi

    Chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum, Governor Kayode Fayemi, has urged the governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello to tread with care, following his recent statement suggesting that the COVID-19 vaccines are being introduced to kill the masses.

    Governor Bello had in a recent address said that the COVID-19 vaccines being produced in less than one year are used to introduce new diseases that will kill many.

    Reacting to Bello’s claim, Governor Fayemi appealed to his Kogi counterpart, urging him not to risk the lives of the citizens.

    The Ekiti State Governor who was a guest on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Thursday said while the Kogi State Governor has a right to his reservations, the most appropriate to respond to a matter of such import is not to be dismissive.

    Fayemi said the preponderance at the level of the Nigerian Governors Forum believes that COVID-19 is real, adding that there is a need to respond to the challenges that have emanated from the pandemic.

    The governor who says COVID-19 is not just a health issue said it behooves public office holders to work in concert with the Federal Government to get to the bottom of the problem which is not peculiar to Nigeria.

    TheNewsGuru.com, TNG reports that the NGF had also Thursday distanced themselves from the Kogi Governor’s unscientific claims on both the virus and the vaccines.

  • BREAKING: Governors disown Yahaya Bello on ‘killer’ COVID-19 vaccine claim

    BREAKING: Governors disown Yahaya Bello on ‘killer’ COVID-19 vaccine claim

    Members of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) have dissociated themselves from the reported claim by Kogi Governor Yahaya Bello that coronavirus vaccines are meant to kill.

    The NGF, in a communiqué at the end of its virtual meeting on Wednesday, said: “On the ill-fated pronouncement made by a member of the forum regarding the Covid-19 vaccine in a national daily, the forum totally and categorically dissociated itself from the statement.”

    The NGF said it “will continue to be informed and guided by science and will ensure that every decision it takes retains public and professional trust and is not compromised by conflicts of interest..

    Details shortly…

  • Rich countries sabotaging equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines – WHO

    Rich countries sabotaging equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines – WHO

    The Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus, has expressed concern over the distribution of vaccines, especially to health workers and the elderly in low-income countries.

    He explained that rich countries are sabotaging equitable access to drugs. He noted that more than 39 million doses of vaccines have been administered in at least 49 higher-income countries, whereas, only 25 doses have been distributed in one lowest-income country.

    He further disclosed that some countries and companies continue to go around the COVAX facility in order to jump to the front of the queue by driving up prices. These actions, according to him, will lead to hoarding, a chaotic market, uncoordinated response, continued social and economic disruption, could delay the delivery of vaccines to poor countries, and prolong the pandemic.

    The WHO DG, therefore, urged higher-income countries and manufacturers of vaccines to work together in solidarity to ensure that within the first 100 days of this year, vaccination of health workers and older people is underway in all countries.

    Speaking during its 148th session of the Executive Board, on Monday, Ghebreyesus, stated: “The recent emergence of rapidly-spreading variants makes the rapid and equitable rollout of vaccines all the more important. But we now face the real danger that even as vaccines bring hope to some, they become another brick in the wall of inequality between the world’s haves and have-nots.

    “It’s right that all governments want to prioritize vaccinating their own health workers and older people first. But it’s not right that younger, healthier adults in rich countries are vaccinated before health workers and older people in poorer countries. There will be enough vaccine for everyone. But right now, we must work together as one global family to prioritize those most at risk of severe diseases and death, in all countries.

    “For the past 9 months, the ACT Accelerator and the COVAX vaccines pillar have been laying the groundwork for the equitable distribution and deployment of vaccines. We have secured 2 billion doses from five producers, with options on more than 1 billion more doses, and we aim to start deliveries in February. I use this opportunity to thank Gavi and CEPI.

    “COVAX is ready to deliver what it was created for. But in recent weeks I have heard from several Member States who have questioned whether COVAX will get the vaccines it needs and whether high-income countries will keep the promises they have made. As the first vaccines begin to be deployed, the promise of equitable access is at serious risk.

    “More than 39 million doses of vaccine have now been administered in at least 49 higher-income countries. Just 25 doses have been given in one lowest-income country. Not 25 million; not 25 thousand; just 25.

    “I need to be blunt: the world is on the brink of a catastrophic moral failure – and the price of this failure will be paid with lives and livelihoods in the world’s poorest countries.

    “Even as they speak the language of equitable access, some countries and companies continue to prioritize bilateral deals, going around COVAX, driving up prices and attempting to jump to the front of the queue. This is wrong. 44 bilateral deals were signed last year, and at least 12 have already been signed this year. The situation is compounded by the fact that most manufacturers have prioritized regulatory approval in rich countries where the profits are highest, rather than submitting full dossiers to WHO.

    “This could delay COVAX deliveries and create exactly the scenario COVAX was designed to avoid, with hoarding, a chaotic market, an uncoordinated response, and continued social and economic disruption. Not only does this me-first approach leave the world’s poorest and most vulnerable people at risk, it’s also self-defeating.

    “Ultimately, these actions will only prolong the pandemic, the restrictions needed to contain it, and human and economic suffering. Vaccine equity is not just a moral imperative; it is a strategic and economic imperative.”

    He added: “A recent study estimated that the economic benefits of equitable vaccine allocation for 10 high-income countries would be at least 153 billion U.S. dollars in 2021, rising to 466 billion dollars by 2025. That’s more than 12 times the total cost of the ACT Accelerator.

    “It’s not too late. I call on all countries to work together in solidarity to ensure that within the first 100 days of this year, vaccination of health workers and older people is underway in all countries.

    “First, we call on countries with bilateral contracts – and control of supply – to be transparent on these contracts with COVAX, including on volumes, pricing and delivery dates.

    “We call on these countries to give much greater priority to COVAX’s place in the queue and to share their own doses with COVAX, especially once they have vaccinated their own health workers and older populations so that other countries can do the same.

    “Second, we call on vaccine producers to provide WHO with full data for regulatory review in real-time, to accelerate approvals. We also call on producers to allow countries with bilateral contracts to share doses with COVAX, and to prioritize supplying COVAX rather than new bilateral deals.

    “And third, we call on all countries introducing vaccines to only use vaccines that meet rigorous international standards for safety, efficacy and quality, and to accelerate readiness for deployment.”

  • FG lists conditions for release of COVID-19 vaccines to states

    FG lists conditions for release of COVID-19 vaccines to states

    The Federal Government on Friday set and released conditions that states must fulfil before releasing the expected COVID-19 vaccines to them.

    Recall that the government had earlier assured that the first batch of the mRNA COVID-19 vaccines would arrive in the country this month (January) and next (February).

    The Director, Logistics and Health Commodities, National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) , Hajia Kubura Daradara during a webinar hosted by the agency on Friday said government would not release the vaccines to the states until the states are ready to administer them.

    She explained that states were expected to administer the vaccines within five days to retain their potency and that only states that showed commitment to this would receive the vaccines.

    The Federal Government had said the first batch of the vaccines would arrive in the country between the end of January and February 2021, adding that the vaccines to be used in the country would be safe and effective.

    It also said the 100,000 doses of the vaccine being expected in the first batch were for 50,000 Nigerians as the vaccines would be taken twice by each person at 21 days interval.

    The Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, said previously that the country would spend N400bn to procure vaccines for the 70 per cent of Nigerians it planned to vaccinate, amid the rising spread of the virus in the dreaded second wave of the pandemic.

    The Senate had on December 21 expressed doubts over the preparedness of the government to effectively store the vaccines upon arrival in the country.

    But speaking at the webinar on Friday, Daradara said, “We are not releasing the vaccines to any state until we are sure that they are ready to implement (administer the vaccines). For the transportation of the vaccines, we will use dry ice in insulated thermal containers that are going to be sealed.

    “So, when a state is ready for implementation, we take the vaccines to them a day to the time they are going to start the implementation. At the state level, the vaccines can stay for +2 to +8, which is at the normal refrigeration level for five days. So, each state would do their implementation for five days, that is when the vaccines will still be potent after we have given them.

    “Once the vaccines are in the states, they can remove the vaccines and put them in their normal refrigerators where it would stay for five days.”

    Speaking further on the available logistics for deploying the vaccines, she stated, “Two weeks before the vaccines come into the country, we would receive a pre-alert that we are expecting the vaccines, we would issue job order to our clearing agents, we also issue notification letters to Customs, National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control and the National Aviation Handling Company so they can know we are expecting vaccines.

    “Immediately the vaccines arrive, the clearing agents go to the airport with the NAFDAC and Customs to conclude the documentation. The vaccines are immediately taken to the National Strategic Cold Store in Abuja, where we have Ultra Cold Chain freezers where we would store the vaccines.

    “Before loading the vaccines into the UCC, the NAFDAC officer that followed them from the airport to the store will pick a sample randomly from every batch of the vaccine and these would be taken to their office for testing. NAFDAC would then certify if the vaccines are potent and good enough to be used.”

  • US, UK, France made COVID-19 Vaccines completely untrustworthy – Iran

    US, UK, France made COVID-19 Vaccines completely untrustworthy – Iran

    Iran’s supreme leader on Friday banned the import of American and British-produced vaccines against COVID-19, saying they were “completely untrustworthy”.

    “Importing vaccines made in the US or the UK is prohibited,” Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said in a tweet, accompanied by the hashtag #CoronaVaccine.

    “It’s not unlikely they would want to contaminate other nations,” he added.

    The Islamic republic has reported more than 1.2 million cases of the novel coronavirus, which have caused over 56,000 deaths.

    Iran has accused arch-enemy the US of hampering its access to vaccines through a tough sanctions regime.

    While food and medicine are technically exempt from the measures, international banks tend to refuse transactions involving Iran.

    Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani said last month that Washington had demanded that Tehran pay for the drugs through US banks, adding that he feared the United States would seize the money.

    Khamenei also tweeted that “given our experience with France’s HIV-tainted blood supplies, French vaccines aren’t trustworthy either.”

    That was a reference to a scandal in the 1980s in which blood infected with HIV was distributed in France, and later abroad, even after the government became aware of the problem.

    Hundreds of people in Iran were among those infected.

    France’s then-prime minister Laurent Fabius was charged with manslaughter, but acquitted in 1999, while his health minister was convicted but never punished.

    Iran last month launched clinical trials of a vaccine developed in the Islamic republic, the Middle Eastern country hardest hit by the pandemic.

  • Nigeria will get fair share of COVID-19 vaccines, PTF assures

    Nigeria will get fair share of COVID-19 vaccines, PTF assures

    As countries of the world frantically race towards securing allocations of COVID-19 vaccine doses as soon as they are available, the Federal Government on Thursday expressed confidence that Nigeria would secure a fair share.

    It however, criticised the move by some countries to nationalise and politicise vaccine distribution and accessibility, terming it as a failure of global leadership.

    The Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, made this known during the Presidential Task Force briefing on COVID-19 in Abuja.

    He said, “Nigeria is also working with World Health Organization (WHO) to finalize enrolment with ACT Accelerator, a global mechanism tracking and sponsoring research Organisations working on COVID-19 vaccine development.

    “We are also interested in the COVAX facility, a GAVI supported global initiative to procure and assure equitable access to vaccines, as soon as they are available, especially for lower middle Income Countries (LMIC). This will prioritize Nigeria for allocation of a part of 2 billion vaccines doses that will be secured, in a special plan to protect the interests of poorer countries.

    “The changing dynamics of the virus and the disease make it necessary for us to continue to review our response strategies, ensure we train and update our health workers on the latest and most effective approach to treatment of the disease and tailor our procurement in the light of knowledge gained.

    “The Information session on COVID-19, conducted weekly by the World Health Organization (WHO) was held this morning. I had the opportunity of sharing our experience in Nigeria, as one of two countries invited to make presentations on our response strategies.

    “A clear message from this briefing is that COVID-19 is a threat to mankind and there is need for all countries to work together for solutions that will allow equitable access. In the words of the Director General of the WHO, Dr. Tedros Ghebreyesus, ‘By working together, we are protecting each other. In a global pandemic, none of us is safe until all of us are safe.”

    The Director-General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu, in a television interview on Tuesday in Abuja, said, “What you see at the moment for a race to a vaccine is a failure of global leadership. Countries should not be fighting for vaccines like children fighting for a toy in a playground.

    “When we had a multilateral world, where collaboration and cooperation was the norm, you wouldn’t have seen a fight like this. You would have seen countries come together and agree on an equitable way to access vaccines.

    “We must recognise that every man’s life matter and the life of someone living in one part of the world does not have more value than someone living in another parts of the world.

    “I do not think Nigeria, Ghana, Togo, and South Africa should all be competing, rather we should come together as a bloc. We are also planning very early through the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) for the distribution mechanism. And we are lucky in that aspect actually because we do have a fairly sophisticated distribution mechanism.

    “I’m very confident that in the current politicisation of access to vaccine, we will end up in a place where most of the world will come together, even if a few countries insist on doing it alone. If they do it alone, they will pay a price somehow or the other because we live in a global world.”

  • COVID-19 vaccines now in phase three clinical trials – WHO

    COVID-19 vaccines now in phase three clinical trials – WHO

    Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus, the Director-General, World Health Organisation (WHO), says a number of vaccines are now in phase three clinical trials to prevent COVID-19 pandemic.

    Ghebreyesus made this known at a virtual news conference on Monday at the WHO Headquarters in Geneva.

    The director-general said: “ We all hope to have a number of effective vaccines that can help prevent people from infection.

    “However, there’s no silver bullet at the moment and there might never be; for now, stopping outbreaks comes down to the basics of public health and disease control.

    “Testing, isolating and treating patients, tracing and quarantining their contacts. Do it all.

    “Inform, empower and listen to communities. Do it all.

    “For individuals, it’s about keeping physical distance, wearing a mask, cleaning hands regularly and coughing safely away from others. Do it all.’’

    Ghebreyesus said the message to people and governments was clear: “Do it all, and when it’s under control, keep going! Keep strengthening the health system.

    “Keep improving surveillance, contact tracing and ensure disrupted healthcare services are restarted as quickly as possible.

    “Keep safeguards and monitoring in place, because lifting restrictions too quickly can lead to resurgence.

    “Keep investing in the workforce and communicating and engaging communities.

    “We have seen around the world, that it’s never too late to turn this pandemic around,’’ he said.

    According to him, if we act together today, we can save lives, we can save livelihoods, if we do it all together.

    He told journalists that the Emergency Committee on COVID-19 met on Friday and reviewed the current pandemic.

    “It was a sobering moment coming six months on from when the committee advised.

    “And, I agreed that the outbreak constituted a Public Health Emergency of International Concern.

    “At the time, Jan. 30, there were fewer than 100 cases and no deaths outside of China.

    “When the Committee met three months ago, three million cases of COVID-19 had been reported to WHO, and more than 200,000 deaths.

    “Since then, the number of cases has increased more than five-fold to 17.5 million, and the number of deaths has more than tripled to 680,000,’’ the director-general said.

    In addition to the direct toll COVID-19 is having, Ghebreyesus said the committee noted the health impact that disrupted services were having on a range of other diseases.

    “That compounds what we already know about reduced immunisation coverage, cancer screening and care, and mental health services.

    “A survey of responses from 103 countries between mid-May and early July, found that 67 per cent of countries report disruption in family planning and contraception services.

    “More than half of countries reported disruption in antenatal care services and more than a third of countries reported disruption in child birth services.

    “On top of the health impact, we have seen the damage COVID-19 has caused socially, economically and politically.

    “The committee put forward a number of recommendations for countries to continue to implement to bring the virus under control.

    “These range from sharing best practice, to enhancing political commitment and leadership for national strategies and localised response activities driven by science, data and experience.’’

    He said from serology studies that most people remained susceptible to this virus, even in areas that have experienced severe outbreaks.

    “Over the past week we’ve seen several countries that appeared as though they were past the worst now, contending with fresh spikes in cases.

    “However, we’ve also seen how some countries, regions or localities that had a high number of cases are now bringing the outbreak under control.

    “It’s not easy, of course. Strict measures may cause their own problems for delivery of essential health services, the economy and societies overall.

    “The committee acknowledged that Member States have tough choices to make to turn the epidemic around.

    “But, they were also clear that when leaders step up and work intensely with their populations, this disease can be brought under control.’’

    He further said we learnt everyday about this virus.

    “ I’m pleased that the world has made progress in identifying treatments that can help people with the most serious forms of COVID-19 recover.

    “The committee recommended that countries engage in the Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator, participate in relevant clinical trials, and prepare for safe and effective therapeutics and vaccine introduction,’’ Ghebreyesus said.