NIGERIA has taken delivery of the 3.92 million doses of AstraZeneca vaccine, making it the third West African country to take delivery under the COVAX scheme, after Ghana and Ivory Coast.
Disclosing this today through a tweeter message, National Primary Health Care Development Agency said the vaccine is in the country to deal with coronavirus challenges. “I am here, Nigeria,” the tweet reads.
Over the coming months, Nigeria expects 16 million doses from COVAX, a facility for poor and middle-income countries co-led by Gavi, the vaccine alliance, and the World Health Organisation, with UNICEF as an implementing partner.
It will be recalled that Nigeria yesterday launched an online registration portal for COVID-19 vaccinations.
According to the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Osindeinde Ademilayo Abodede, a healthcare worker, was the first to register for the vaccine.
Report says, her appointment was initially scheduled for March 12 in Abuja.
Nigeria is expecting 3.92 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine to land on today. It will be the third West African country to take delivery under the COVAX scheme, after Ghana and Ivory Coast.
NPHCDA said in addition to healthcare workers, it will prioritise other frontline workers including the military, police, Nigerians at border posts, oil and gas workers and strategic leaders.
The health institution added that it is taking a multifaceted approach to the vaccine rollout, which would include a traditional campaign and house-to-house electronic registration in addition to the online portal.
Nigeria aims to inoculate 40 per cent of its population this year and 30 per cent more in 2022. As of yesterday, it had recorded 155,657 confirmed cases and 1,907 deaths.
