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Tag: NPHCDA

  • Bill Gates tells FG to shift focus from vaccine production

    Bill Gates tells FG to shift focus from vaccine production

    Philanthropist, Bill Gates has highlighted the challenges associated with local vaccine production in Nigeria, citing regulatory complexities and economic scale as significant barriers. Gates, who is co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, said this on Tuesday in Abuja during the Northern Traditional Leaders’ Committee on Primary Health Care Service Delivery (NTLC) quarterly review meeting.

    The meeting was organised by the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), where Gates discussed the broader landscape of local manufacturing within the health sector, suggesting that vaccines might not be the first choice for local entrepreneurs to focus on. While acknowledging the progress made in reducing vaccine costs globally, he suggested that Nigeria should prioritise the local production of other health products that could offer more immediate benefits.

    “Vaccines are probably not the first thing they would choose to do because of the regulatory complexity and the scale economics. There are many other things in the health sector that should probably be higher on the list to ensure availability and cost are improved by local entrepreneurs,” he added.

    He also recognised the significant achievements in Nigeria’s public health landscape, particularly the role of the NTLC in eradicating wild polio and successfully introducing the HPV vaccine. He said that the efforts had achieved 86 per cent  coverage among girls between ages nine  to 14.

    Gates called for continued efforts to combat vaccine-preventable diseases, particularly in the face of new challenges like the circulating variant poliovirus type 2 (CBPDD2). He called for strategic improvements in the effectiveness of vaccination teams, emphasising the need for diligent and trusted individuals at the ward and settlement levels to ensure compliance and follow-up.

    “The selection of the right people for vaccination teams is crucial. They must be diligent, trusted by the community, and capable of following up on cases of noncompliance. Where results are lacking, we must be ready to make necessary changes,” he said.

    He also underscored the importance of routine immunisations in protecting children from diseases like pneumonia, diarrhea, and measles. He  praised the Sultan of Sokoto and other leaders for their commitment to improving health outcomes and urged them to continue the cooperation to raise immunisation levels across the country.

    Alhaji Aliko Dangote, Chairman of Dangote Group, also addressed the traditional leaders, emphasising the urgent need for enhanced efforts in the fight against polio. Dangote highlighted the crucial role traditional rulers play in eradicating the wild poliovirus and addressing ongoing outbreaks.

    He called for a concerted effort to provide polio vaccines and, also,  routine immunisations, health, and nutrition services in insecure areas. He urged the NTLC to spearhead a cross-border synchronisation exercise to bolster border vaccinations.

    Dangote stressed the importance of holding traditional leaders accountable in achieving the goal of stopping the ongoing CBPV2 outbreak. He  also announced the expansion of the Crown Community Engagement Programme aimed at improving community engagement and resolving vaccine non-compliance issues.

    The Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’ad Abubakar III, expressed deep appreciation for Gates’ consistent involvement in Nigeria. The Sultan particularly commended the philanthropist for his frequent visits to Sokoto, which signify his ongoing commitment to improving the health and welfare of the Nigerian people. He commended the NTLC for their 15 years of dedicated work, particularly highlighting their success in significantly reducing polio in Nigeria by 98 per cent.

    Alhaji Mohammad Gulma, Head, Kebbi State District of the NTLC stressed  the importance of community involvement in the campaign. Gulma said that such can be achieved through close collaboration with village and ward heads, religious leaders, and other key community members. He highlighted their commitment to active supervision throughout the campaign, and addressing non-compliance through dialogue and accountability.

    Alhaji Kabiru Alhassan, Head of Sokoto State District, discussed the growth of a community-based health intervention initiative, which has expanded from 19 to 95 participants. Alhassan emphasised the critical role of community health in improving healthcare access at the grassroots level. He said that the programme had successfully identified and tracked children needing care, managed cases of child malnutrition, and improved maternal and child health.

    The meeting concluded with a reaffirmation from the NTLC to intensify efforts in supporting vaccination campaigns and addressing non-compliance issues to ensure that no child is left unprotected.

  • Tinubu appoints new heads for NPHCDA, NHIA

    Tinubu appoints new heads for NPHCDA, NHIA

    President Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment of two new Chief Executive Officers of Agencies under the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare.

    Chief Ajuri Ngelale, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, said this in a statement on Friday in Abuja.

    He said Dr Muyi Aina was appointed Executive Secretary/CEO, National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) and Dr Kelechi Ohiri as Director-General/CEO, National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA).

    He described Aina as a globally renowned public health leader with a Masters in Public Health degree from Harvard University (USA) and a Doctorate degree from Johns Hopkins University (USA), following his first medical certification at the University of Ilorin.

    Ngelale said Ohiri most recently served as the Managing Director for Strategy at Global Alliance for Vaccines in Geneva, Switzerland.

    He obtained a Masters in Public Health degree from Harvard University (USA) and another Masters degree in Public Policy from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government, following his first medical certification from the University of Lagos.

    The presidential spokesman said Ohiri had obtained significant experience serving in the World Bank, McKinsey & Company, and had shaped reforms in the National Health Service (NHS) of the United Kingdom.

    He said the president urged the new leadership of these two critical agencies to prioritise quality, fairness and accountability in the provision of world-class healthcare to all segments of the Nigerian society.

  • NCDC confirms 42 new cases of COVID-19

    NCDC confirms 42 new cases of COVID-19

    The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has confirmed 42 additional COVID-19 infections in the country in two weeks, with Lagos State recording 27 cases.

    The NCDC made this known via its official website on Sunday, adding that Edo, Kano, Nasarawa, Kaduna, Plateau and the Federal Capital Territory contributed the remaining figure.

    The health agency said that the new cases brought the country’s total of COVID-19 infections to 266,492.

    It said that the cases were recorded between Dec. 31, 2022 and Jan. 13.

    ”From Dec. 31 to Jan.  6, 13 new confirmed cases have been recorded in Nigeria. The 13 new cases are reported from two states – Lagos (12) and Edo (one),” it said.

    According to the report, the NCDC confirmed that the country recorded 29 new cases from Jan. 7 to  13; and the new cases are reported from, Lagos (15), FCT (five), Kano (four), Nasarawa (three), Kaduna (one) and Plateau (one).

    It also said that a multi-sectoral national Emergency Operations Centre activated at Level 2, had continued to cordinate the national response activities.

    Meanwhile, the country registered 266,492 COVID-19 confirmed cases, 3,155 deaths, and 259,858 cases had been discharged across 36 states including the FCT.

    The National Primary Health Care Development Agency, (NPHCDA) has continued to advocate for citizens to get their COVID-19 vaccine.

    “If you are yet to be vaccinated, visit the nearest vaccination site to receive your Johnson and Johnson single-dose vaccine. All COVID-19 vaccines are free, safe and effective,” it said.

  • Measles: Agency urges parents, caregivers to vaccinate children

    Measles: Agency urges parents, caregivers to vaccinate children

    The National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), has urged parents and caregivers to take their children to be vaccinated against measles, describing the disease as very dangerous.

    The Executive Director, NPHCDA, Dr Faisal Shuaib, told newsmen on Tuesday in Abuja that measles affects mostly children who are under five years and can lead to death.

    Newsmen reports measles is a childhood infection caused by a virus. Once quite common, measles can now almost always be prevented with a vaccine.

    Also called rubeola, measles spreads easily and can be serious and even fatal for small children.

    While death rates have been falling worldwide as more children receive the measles vaccine, the disease still kills more than 200,000 people a year, mostly children.

    Shuaib said that measles reduces children’s ability to fight other diseases, resulting in frequent illness.

    “Those at increased risk of contracting measles are children under five years who have not completed their Routine Immunization and those not vaccinated against measles.

    ”For your child to be fully protected against measles, it is important for nine months to five years of age for children to receive measles immunization.”

    The NPHCDA boss urged that parents and caregivers should ensure their child gets vaccinated against measles and yellow fever in the agency’s ongoing integrated campaign

    “Other childhood immunization and COVID-19 vaccines will also be administered at the mobile and fixed post,” Shuaib said.

    Newsmen recalls that measles symptoms don’t appear until 10 to 14 days after exposure.

    The symptoms include: Fever, dry cough, runny nose, sore throat and Inflamed eyes (conjunctivitis).

    Tiny white spots with bluish-white centres on a red background are found inside the mouth on the inner lining of the cheek, also called Koplik’s spots.

    The signs also include a skin rash made up of large, flat blotches that often flow into one another.

    The infection occurs in stages over two to three weeks. For the first 10 to 14 days after infection, the measles virus spreads in the body.

    There are no signs or symptoms of measles during this time.

    Measles typically begins with a mild to moderate fever, often with a persistent cough, a runny nose, inflamed eyes (conjunctivitis) and a sore throat.

    This relatively mild illness may last two to three days.

    The rash is made up of small red spots, some of which are slightly raised. Spots and bumps in tight clusters give the skin a blotchy red appearance.

    The face breaks out first, while over the next few days, the rash spreads down the arms, chest and back, then over the thighs, lower legs and feet.

    At the same time, the fever rises sharply, often as high as 104 to 105.8 F (40 to 41 C).

    The measles rash may last about seven days. The rash gradually fades first from the face and last from the thighs and feet.

    As other symptoms of the illness go away, the cough and darkening or peeling of the skin where the rash was may stay for about 10 days.

    A person with measles can spread the virus to others for about eight days, starting four days before the rash appears and ending when the rash has been present for four days.

  • COVID-19: Again, NPHCDA appeals to Nigerians to get vaccinated

    COVID-19: Again, NPHCDA appeals to Nigerians to get vaccinated

    The National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) has again appealed to Nigerians, who are yet to be vaccinated, to get the COVID-19 vaccines.

    The Executive Secretary of the agency, Dr Faisal Shuaib, made the call at a one-day evaluation meeting for COVID-19 vaccination exercise.

    The meeting was organised by the Nigeria Solidarity Support Fund (NSSF), an independent partner, assisting the NPHCDA to drive the campaign for vaccination against CoVID-19.

    NSSF entered into agreement with NPHCDA in Sept. 2021, to support COVID-19 vaccination campaign across the country, but kick-started the project with six states, including Edo, Ogun, Nasarawa, Adamawa, Katsina and Imo.

    The goal, of the agreement is to vaccinate one million eligible Nigerians in the States

    Shuaib, represented at the meeting, by Dr Bassey Okposen, Director of Disease Control and immunisation/Programme Manager, COVID-19 vaccination war room, NPHCDA, said: ”the virus was still very much in the circulation.

    ”COVID-19 is still very active and there is need for  Nigerians to get vaccinated and stay safe.

    ”People are still dying globally, there are countries that are still having new outbreaks, it is good we take the vaccine and kick COVID out of our country.

    “We are not only doing COVID-19 vaccination at the moment, we are also doing integrated vaccination, along with routine immunisation, maternal services and other care at the primary healthcare level.

    “As a nation, we have not achieved credibility on this, we need to get vaccinated so that we can still be safe as a country”, he said.

    He said till date, 55.6 per cent of Nigerians have taken only the first dose.

    The director also said that 44.6 per cent of Nigerians are fully vaccinated.

    “The current drive under the leadership of the Minister of Health, with the support from the President and the entire presidential steering committee on COVID-19, has made us move the figure from 13 per cent.

    “Our target is to ensure 70 per cent of the population get vaccinated before December 2022, we are working hard on this”.

    Also speaking, Dr Fejiro Chinye-Nwoko, General Manager/CEO, NSSF, stated that the organisation, conceptualised the meeting to get brief on the improvement of the vaccination on states the partner was already supporting.

    She said with the coming of the independent partner, NSSF, the vaccination figure had risen from over four million Nigerians, where it was met, and had been able to increase the vaccination figure tremendously.

    “In September 2021, NPHCDA approached us for support to increase the vaccination coverage, as at that time, the coverage was just over four million Nigerians who had vaccinated for COVID.

    “We supported NPHCDA by donating N300 million for the vaccination in six states, and with that support, we were able to vaccinate over two million Nigerians.

    “Apart from the direct support vaccination that we got from the six states, we were able to accelerate the vaccination all over Nigeria, which also led to the current number of 40 million Nigerians who have vaccinated.

    “We have gotten the partnership and we will remain partners, we are working with them, advocating for more support, for more coverage, for more mobilisation to reduce vaccine hesitancy in Nigeria,’’ she said.

    She added that the availability of the vaccine was not a challenge, but the hesitancy is the major challenge, stressing that, NSSF was also working with NPHCDA to increase mobilisation and reduce vaccine hesitancy in other states.

    According to her, in no distant time, the NSSF will get the 70 per cent coverage which is the country’s target.

    Also contributing, Mr Adis Mohammad, Executive Secretary, Nasarawa State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, appreciated the NSSF, for the funds.

    Mohammed said the fund and with the support of the state government, the state healthcare agency was able to get the people to access the vaccine.

    ”When the fund came the state government and other partners like UNICEF, the state healthcare was able to mobilise the people easily.

    “We were able to penetrate some communities, mobilise the people, as well as use the money for other activities like, jingles, buying T-shirts, handbills and posters to drive the campaign for people to get vaccinated.

    “Our success story is also driven by Gov. Abdullahi Sule who gave us the enabling environment, no matter the strategy, if you don’t have the support of the government, the right environment will not be able to implement your plan.

    “We have a government that gave us all the needed support for us to go out and mobilized the citizens of Nasarawa state to access this vaccine, this also included our strong vaccination team within the state, all what we carried out was team work,’’ Mohammad said.

  • N10bn for local vaccines production intact – Minister

    N10bn for local vaccines production intact – Minister

    Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, says the N10 billion earmarked in 2020 by the Federal Government for local production of vaccines, is still intact.

    The minister gave the assurance on Tuesday in Abuja, during the Ministerial bi-weekly update meeting on COVID-19 response.

    Ehanire said that the country had found partners to import the technology needed to produce the vaccines.

    “We are as prepared as we can be, we are also pursuing capacity to produce vaccine biotech. Visitors from the Serum Institute of India are going to be technical partners of Bio-Vaccine Nigeria Limited.

    “Nigeria is a 49 per cent shareholder in a company called Bio-Vaccine Nigeria Limited, and the bio-vaccine is a revival of the former vaccine plants that the Federal Government used to have.

    “The private sector was invited to join and form a special purpose vehicle – a company called Bio-Vaccine. This was conceived before COVID-19.

    “Now the joint venture was stalled because of the outbreak – when there was a lockdown and when nothing could move,” he said.

    According to the minister, there has been a lot of delays which stalled the company’s take off.

    “With the outbreak of COVID-19, all countries were looking forward to vaccines, including Nigeria. Therefore, the aspiration to produce vaccines has not been fulfilled.

    “We are working on it and I have spoken with one of the members of the board of bio-vaccine. We are working on getting that technology to both produce routine vaccines and also COVID-19 vaccines under license and importation of the technology and partnership for it,” Ehanire said.

    The minister added that local vaccine production was a priority of the President Muhammadu Buhari led government.

    “This is one reason the country has been engaging partners of interest in actualising this very important project,” he said.

    Meanwhile, the Director, Disease Control and Immunisation, National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Dr Bassey Okposen, emphasised the importance of COVID-19 vaccination across the country.

    Okposen said that over 70 million COVID-19 vaccines have so far been administered to Nigerians.

    “As of Sept. 12, in 36 states of the Federation and the FCT, about 33. 8 million of total eligible persons targeted for COVID-19 vaccination are fully vaccinated.

    “12.9 million of total eligible persons targeted for COVID-19 vaccination are partially vaccinated,” he said.

    The director, however, said millions of children in the country still miss out on basic childhood vaccines every year and urged parents to get their children vaccinated.

    “Getting your child vaccinated is the best way to give every child a healthy start to life and protect against preventable diseases from birth to old age,” he said.

  • No short-shelf doses of COVID-19 vaccines in Nigeria — FG

    No short-shelf doses of COVID-19 vaccines in Nigeria — FG

    The Federal Government says that there are no short-shelf doses of COVID-19 vaccine donations in the country.

    The Executive Director, National Primary Health Care Development Agency, (NPHCDA), Dr Faisal Shuaib, said this in Abuja, at the official handover of about 2.6 million doses of Johnson Johnson COVID-19 vaccines.

    Shuaib said that the vaccines were now promptly shipped and distributed through the COVAX and AVAT facilities to reduce the risk of expiration.

    Newsmen reports that the vaccines were donated to Nigeria by the Canadian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Amb Jamie Christoff.

    Following the expiration of one million doses of COVID-19 vaccines in Nigeria, the Presidential Steering Committee (PSC) on COVID-19, announced that the country would no longer accept vaccines with short shelf life.

    The committee had said that such vaccines mounted undue pressure on health workers to administer them.

    It also took the decision to destroy one million of such vaccines publicly, to assure Nigerians that there was no intention to use them.

    Shuaib said that donors now recognised the need to give away vaccines before their expiration dates.

    According to him, they have also created a pathway for prompt shipment and distribution through the COVAX and AVAT facilities to curb the risk of expiration.

    “There is now better coordination, and the COVID-19 vaccines in the country are not expired nor have short shelf lives.

    “The Federal Government, through the NPHCDA and other partners, has continued to ensure that the country received vaccines with a long expiration date,” he said.

    He said that 62 million vaccine doses were available in the country at the moment, adding that 40 million more were being expected.

    While commending the Government of Canada for providing “the much-needed support”, Shuaib said that the donation was critical to helping the country ramp up its vaccination rollout process.

    “Johnson & Johnson offers a single-dose opportunity for full vaccination, which means if you take one dose of the vaccine, you are regarded as a fully vaccinated person.

    “However, we strongly recommend a booster dose after 2 months of taking the initial dose to strengthen your level of immunity against COVID-19.

    “A second dose of the vaccine serves as the booster dose,” he said.

    According to him, “we are in a full campaign mode in which COVID-19 vaccines are ready-made available in the health facilities and other designated places.

    “They are also brought by our vaccination teams to your doorsteps. We are leveraging on our polio eradication experience to fight COVID-19.

    He expressed confidence that with the kind of support received from the Canadian Government, Nigeria would sooner than expected, be able to put COVID-19 behind.

    On the SCALES 3.0 strategy, Shuaib said it offered opportunities for childhood vaccination and other Primary Health Care (PHC) services for Nigerians alongside the COVID-19 vaccination.

    “Parents can take their eligible children for vaccination against polio, yellow fever, measles and other vaccine-preventable childhood diseases in the same locations where the adults receive COVID-19 vaccines.

    “Our mobile teams are also in possession of all these vaccines when they visit your homes.

    “Please welcome them and present yourselves and your eligible children for vaccination as may be applicable,” he said.

    Christoff, while donating the vaccines, said it was his first assignment as an Ambassador to Nigeria.

    The Ambassador recalled that the Canadian Government had earlier donated more than 800,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine to Nigeria.

    He said that the donation was in fulfilment of his country’s commitment to supporting developing countries in ramping up vaccination against the COVID-19 pandemic.

    According to him, in 2020, the world was faced with the challenge to develop an effective vaccine.

    “In 2021, the challenges evolved to the production and distribution of the vaccines. Today in 2022, we need to put this vaccine within people’s reach,” he said.

    Dr Eduardo Celades Blanco, UNICEF Nigeria Chief of Health, used the opportunity to call on eligible Nigerians who were yet to be vaccinated to do so.

    “If we keep up with the vaccination, the likely scenario is that even though the virus continues to evolve, the severity of the disease will reduce over time.

    “Immunity increases due to vaccination,” he said.

    While appreciating the Canada for the donation, he said the gesture came at a time it was most needed.

    He commended the recent MIC/NIC survey on vaccination, stressing that in spite of the pandemic, the country was only one of the few globally that recorded improved Immunisation coverage.

    The World Health Organisation (WHO) Representative to Nigeria, Dr Walter Kazadi Mulombo, also commended the country’s COVID-19 mass vaccination strategy.

    Mulombo was represented by Dr Kofi Boateng, EPI Focal Point, Universal Health Coverage (UHC).

    He said that other African countries were already looking up to Nigeria to learn how to roll out their vaccinations campaign.

    Newsmen reports that as of Thursday, 40.7 million eligible persons have received the first dose of vaccines, while 28.6 million persons fully vaccinated.

    This represents 25.6 per cent of the eligible population.

    Meanwhile, 2.6 million fully vaccinated persons have received their booster doses.

    Also, the SCALES 3.0 strategy enjoins the 36 states of the federation and the FCT to step up intensive actions to ensure that every eligible adult and child is vaccinated.

    The Federal Government has also designed a performance-based incentive to improve the uptake of COVID-19 vaccines and other PHC services in the states and the communities.

  • 16-year-olds can now take COVID-19 vaccines in Nigeria

    16-year-olds can now take COVID-19 vaccines in Nigeria

    The National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHCDA) has said Nigerians aged 16 and 17 have been given a COVID-19 vaccination waiver.

    NPHCDA, announcing the advisory on Thursday, stated that this is to enable them to receive coronavirus vaccines.

    The health agency stated that persons aged 16 and 17 can receive COVID-19 vaccines if required for educational purposes.

    The advisory read: “The NPHCDA has given a waiver for persons aged 16 and 17 to receive COVID-19 vaccines if required for educational purposes”.

  • COVID-19: Over 3.4m persons fully vaccinated in Nigeria – NPHCDA

    COVID-19: Over 3.4m persons fully vaccinated in Nigeria – NPHCDA

    The National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) says that 3,487, 298 eligible persons in Nigeria have been fully vaccinated against Coronavirus (COVID-19), having received their second jabs.

    Dr Faisal Shuaib, Executive Director, NPHCDA, disclosed this during the inauguration of mass vaccination exercise for Nasarawa State on Friday in Lafia.

    Shuaib said that as at Friday, Nov. 26, a total of 6,242, 224 eligible persons in the country had received their first doses of the vaccine.

    “From the data above, it is clear that Nigeria is still far from reaching its target of vaccinating almost 112 million of its eligible population,” he said.

    Shuaib said that the Federal Government came up with the mass vaccination campaign in view of the festive period characterised by large gathering with risk of spread of the virus.

    He said the campaign was geared towards creating access to the vaccines in order to ward off a potential 4th wave of the pandemic.

    He said the mass vaccination campaign was a carefully designed service delivery strategy to rapidly increase the number of fully vaccinated eligible people and fast track the country’s economic and social recovery.

    “The main aim of the mass vaccination campaign is to vaccinate 50 per cent of Nigeria’s eligible population by January 2022,” Shuaib added.

    In Nasarawa State, the executive director pointed out that based on data from the National Population Commission (NPC), about 1.5million persons in the state were eligible for the COVID-19 vaccination.

    “As it stands, we have only been able to vaccinate 8.1 per cent of eligible Nasarawa residents with the first dose and only 5.3 per cent are fully vaccinated.

    “This is below our target which is to vaccinate all eligible residents with the COVID-19 vaccines in order to ensure full protection against the deadly virus.

    “In order to address the logistical problems of getting to vaccination site by Nigerians, the Federal Government in collaboration with the State Government has expanded the vaccination sites in Nasarawa State.

    “The COVID-19 vaccines are now available in our public health facilities, designated private health facilities, shopping malls, open markets, schools, general hospitals, tertiary health institutions, recreation parks, religious centres, motor parks and other designated sites, he said.

    Shuaib encouraged Nasarawa residents, who are 18 years and above to come out en masse to receive the vaccines in order to protect themselves, their loved ones and communities.

    He appreciated the media for their support so far and called on them to intensify actions in mobilising eligible Nigerians for improved vaccination.

    “We count on your support to ensure the overall success of the mass vaccination campaign across the country.

    “Please remember, no one is safe from COVID-19 until everyone is safe from it,” Shuaib added.

    In his remarks, Gov. Abdullahi Sule gave assurance that his government would ensure that every citizen of the state was vaccinated in order to achieve herd immunity and safety of all.

  • FG begins 2nd phase of COVID-19 vaccination

    FG begins 2nd phase of COVID-19 vaccination

    The Federal Government on Monday began administration of new vaccines marking the start of the second phase of the COVID-19 vaccination programme.

    Speaking at the inauguration at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Jabi Abuja, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) Mr Boss Mustapha said the country began the second phase, having received about four million doses of Moderna vaccines, donated by the government of the U.S. government.

    The exercise had earlier been scheduled for Aug. 10, but was postponed due to “purely administrative” reasons, according to the Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed.

    Nigeria began the COVID-19 vaccination on March 5, having received approximately four million doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccines from COVAX.

    These led to the successful vaccination of 3,938,945 eligible persons across the 36 states and FCT, representing 98 per cent utilisation of the vaccines.

    Over two million, five hundred people have been vaccinated for the first dose and 1,404,205 have received their second dose of the vaccine.

    To achieve herd immunity against the infection, Nigeria had set an ambitious goal of vaccinating 40 per cent of its over 200 million population before the end of 2021, and 70 per cent by the end of 2022.

    To achieve this, the vaccine roll-out was scheduled to be in four phases, starting with health workers, frontline workers, COVID-19 rapid response team amongst others.

    The second phase which commenced today would capture older adults aged 50 years and above and those with comorbidities aged between 18 and 49.

    Mustapha who doubles as the chairman of the Presidential Steering Committee (PSC) said the country also received another 177,600 doses of Johnson and Johnson (J&J) COVID-19 vaccines from African Union (AU).

    “The arrival of the 4,000,080 doses of Moderna COVID-19 vaccine donated by the Government of the United States and the 177,600 doses of Johnson & Johnson vaccines out of the 29,850,000 doses the Federal Government has purchased through the Africa-Import-Export Bank and the African Union, is highly encouraging and motivating for us at the Presidential Steering Committee,” he said.

    According to Health Minister, Dr Osagie Ehanire, Nigeria procured nearly 40 million doses of the J&J vaccines under the African Vaccine Acquisition Trust (AVAT).

    Ehanire said that the J&J vaccines are expected to be deployed in hard-to-reach areas, to eliminate the need for travel for a second dose.

    The Executive Director, NPHCDA, Dr. Faisal Shuaib, disclosed that the country would be receiving additional 698,880 doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine today.

    Shuaib disclosed that the vaccines donated by the UK government would be targeted at those due for their second dose of the vaccinated.

    “In the next couple of weeks, we will be expecting up to 3.9 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccines to compliment what we already have.

    “This will also ensure that we cover not only those who will be taking their 2nd dose but also for those who will want to take their first dose of this vaccine,” he said.

    Dignitaries present at the ceremony were the Minister of Health, the Minister of State for Health, Sen. Olorunnimbe Mamora, the Director-General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), DrChikwe Ihekweazu and the Medical Director of the FMC, Professor Aliyu Ahmed.