COVID-19: Only 2% Of Nigeria’s Population Will Receive First Batch Of AstraZeneca Vaccines

With effect from Friday, Nigeria will kick-off a nationwide rollout of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccines to about two percent of its population.

With the country’s population currently estimated at 200 million, the Federal Government is saddled with the responsibility of distributing 3.924 million doses of Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccines across states of the country.

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The FG had said it plans to vaccinate 30 per cent of the population by the end of 2021 and 40 percent in 2022 to achieve herd immunity.

Although Nigeria is expecting 16 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine from the COVAX facility, the country would have achieved only 8 per cent inoculation of the country’s population if it fails to acquire more vaccines. Experts have described the situation as a drop in the ocean and which is capable of causing mutation of the virus.

The National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) in partnership with the Ministry of Health, had begun the inoculation of frontline health workers on March 5.

President Muhammadu Buhari, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and 15 members of the Presidential Task Force Team (PTF) on COVID-19 are among notable Nigerians who have received their first dose of the vaccine.

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During the PTF briefing on Monday, the Executive Director, NPHCDA, Faisal Shuaib spoke on the distribution of vaccines across the states.

He said, “The movement of vaccines to the States has commenced today. All things being equal, the delivery of the vaccines will be completed tomorrow. The delivery of the vaccines to the States is predicated on satisfactorily meeting the conditions to keep them safe and potent.

“The state launch of the COVID-19 vaccination for frontline health worker is slated for March 9th at the State Treatment Centers, barring any prevailing local conditions

“Most Governors have agreed to flag-off on March 10th, while the State-wide rollout of COVID-19 vaccine will commence from the 12th of March.

“It is expected that States will roll out vaccination only when Local Government Areas have met the minimum criteria for successful conduct of the campaigns,” Shuaib instructed.

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Worthy of note is that the FG had designated Vaccine Accountability Officers in the States and LGAs to closely monitor the management and utilization of the vaccines.

“These VAOs will also ensure retrieval of vaccine vials for proper disposal,” the NPHCDA said.

Also, over 100,000 health workers are being trained by the PTF through the NPHCDA in alliance with donors and development partners at the “National, State, LGA and Health facility levels for the seamless deployment of the vaccines to the designated population”. Shuaib said.

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