We Are Ready To Tackle Increase In Covid-19 Cases, FG Tells WHO

The Minister of Health, Osagie Enahire has said that Nigeria is fully prepared to contain further spread of the coronavirus.

Speaking at the World Health Organisation press conference monitored by THE WHISTLER, the Minister while noting the gradual increase in the number of Covid-19 cases recorded in the country, said that the government has prioritized vaccination for people in areas with a high prevalence of the virus.

According to him, the high population density and the favour for politics and religion which often make people ignore the public health advice put in place is a similarity that Nigeria shares with Indian, leading to an increase in the reported cases in the country.

He said, “We have prioritized immunization for people in areas with high prevalence, especially when vaccine arrives and also generally in prevention infection control mechanism, we have begun campaigns in communities to adhere to non-pharmaceutical measures and also public health measures.

“Our response in Nigeria so far shows a state of readiness to confront an increase in reported cases of coronavirus across the country. We are doing genetic sequencing to follow and observe the trend in Europe, even in America.

“We are also trying to adjust our travel protocols. At the point of entry into the country, we carry out surveillance not only at air landing port but also at land borders as well as sea points of entry.”

Speaking further, the Minister said that a weak health system, inequity in vaccine distribution, and inadequate protective tools are major challenges faced in Nigeria, adding that support should be continuously offered to African countries with readily weak health systems.

To this end, he disclosed that the Nigerian government is ready and interested in being a hub for vaccine production in Africa to curb the shortage of supply.

“We have worked out a business plan, there is a company in Nigeria, that is into partnership with the government, that is to lead the vaccine production, we are going to bid for technical support and be one of those considered for the production of vaccines in Africa.

“But we are expecting vaccines from many sources, things have changed from the time we had anxiety about where to get the vaccines, right now Nigeria is in the process of paying for about 29 million doses of vaccine from the Africa vaccine acquisition task team, Johnson & Johnson.

“So that process is ongoing and we shall receive the vaccines before August. We have a bilateral arrangement for the Moderna vaccine which we have just received through the COVAX facility from the United State, 4,000,080 doses.

“We already prepared the cold chain arrangement for that, we are expecting 3,000,900 of Astrazeneca and another 3.5 million of Pfizer. So if everything goes well before the end of this month and through August, we are going to have more vaccines with more variety,” he said.