By Joseph Erunke
AS Nigeria expects to receive about four million doses of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines, the federal government, World Health Organisation, WHO, and United Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEF, have said frontline healthcare workers would be the first beneficiaries.
A statement jointly signed yesterday by the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency, NPHCDA, the World Health Organisation, WHO and the United Nations Children’s Fund,UNICEF, said the country planned to vaccinate at least 70% of eligible Nigerians aged 18 years and above in four phases within two years.
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Nigeria is scheduled to take delivery of 3.92 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine tomorrow, according to chairman of the Presidential Taskforce on COVID-19 and Secretary to Government of the Federation, SGF, Boss Mustapha.
The delivery will mark the first arrival of COVID-19 vaccine in the country and make Nigeria the next West African country to benefit from the COVAX facility after Ghana, and Cote d’Ivoire.
The statement, signed by the Executive Director and Chief Executive of NPHCDA, Dr. Faisal Shuaib, read: “The arrival of the vaccine will enable the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, NPHCDA, to commence the vaccination of Nigerians in priority groups, starting with the frontline healthcare workers.
“The arrival of this vaccine is the result of the commitment of the Federal Government, under the leadership of President Muhammandu Buhari, the support of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 and the guidance of the Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire.
“We are fully prepared to receive and deliver the vaccine to eligible Nigerians as we have commenced the training of health workers and ensured that cold chain facilities are ready at all levels.
“We have a robust cold chain system that can store all types of COVID-19 vaccine in accordance with the required temperature. We are, therefore, confident that we will have a very effective…
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