2.3 million Nigerians have registered for the COVID-19 vaccines, 24 hours after the portal was launched on Monday, the Executive Director of the National Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Dr Faisal Shuaibu, has disclosed.
He made the disclosure, on Wednesday, in a virtual interview in Abuja.
Shuaibu who was fielding questions on the arrival of the first batch of COVID-19 vaccine in Nigeria on Tuesday said the Federal Government has placed increased security around the vaccine to prevent unauthorised access pending completion of checks by the National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC).
He said once all checks are completed, the roll-out of the vaccines will commence.
Shuaibu said: “I can tell you that there is a lot of excitement although, some people have raised their concerns and we are trying to address them but the enthusiasm is in less than 24 hours that the portal was launched, we have recorded about 2.3 million Nigerians who have registered to be vaccinated and the number continues to grow adding that the task placed on Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, Federal Ministry of Health and NPHCDA will not be taken for granted.
Shuaibu further clarified controversies surrounding the safety of the AstraZeneca vaccine saying it was produced under the patent of Oxford/AstraZeneca in India and not originally from the United Kingdom(UK).
As a result, he said the composition is slightly different.
“I also want to put it on record that the Indians are responsible for producing most of the vaccines that are produced globally and they are leaders when it comes to vaccine productions.
“For me as a public health practitioner, that is exactly where I will like Nigeria to be as there’s a lot of effort by the current administration to fast track the local production of vaccines.
“In terms of whether or not it is the same vaccine, it is the same vaccine and all of the clinical trials that are required have been done. Recall that the World Health Organisation has given approval for this vaccine to be used.
“If there was any doubt whatsoever about safety or effectiveness, they would not put their reputation on the line.”
On delivery of the second batch of the vaccine to Nigeria, Shuaibu said work has already commenced to receive the next batch as the 4 million doses received are free.
“The balance of 12 million doses will be arriving in batches between now and the month of May. The COVAX facilities as we are all aware and groundbreaking establishment involving Gavic Alliance for Immunization and WHO is to make sure that there is equitable access to vaccines globally.”
Shuaib also disclosed that COVAX facilities will provide vaccines that will cover 20 per cent of Nigeria’s population for free.
“In terms of what to do additionally to get the rest of the population vaccinated, Shuaibu said that all the paper works have been done to apply what is required to procure up to 41 million doses of additional COVID-19 vaccine.
“Right now, about 22.9 million AstraZeneca Oxford vaccines are in place and about 18 million doses of Johnson and Johnson will be procured.
“The next consignment of vaccine from Africa union is the 41 million which will start coming in from March to April and May,” he explained.
