The government plans to immunise 70 per cent of Nigerians who are in danger of the virus, Director of National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHDA) Dr. Faisal Shuaib said.
According to him, free vaccine to immunise 20 per cent of those to be vaccinated, are going to be made available to the country and 91 other countries by the global Alliance for Vaccine and Immunisation (GAVI).
The first batch of 100,000 Pfizer vaccine doses from the COVAX facility will arrive within the country at the end of this month or early next month. it’ll be utilized in two jabs each on 50,000 Nigerians.
To meet up with vaccination of fifty per cent of Nigerians, the govt will got to pay $8 for 2 doses each.
According to the United Nations data and also the data made available by the National Population Commission (NPC), Nigeria’s population is 206 million.
Nigeria’s target is to vaccinate 70 per cent (144.2 million) of its 206 million people.
At the speed of $8 for 2 doses per person, it’ll spend a minimum of $576million to vaccinate 50 per cent (72.1million) of the 144.2million people.
Read also: Covid-19 cases in Africa exceeds 3million
Should the country prefer to vaccinate half its total population, which is about 103,000,000, it’ll spend about $824milion
Dr. Shuaib said: “The country is expecting just one vaccine (i.e. Pfizer mRNA COVID-19 vaccine) within the first batch coming in by end of January/early February.
“The country isn’t buying any COVID-19 vaccine from Pfizer or China. The country plans to get COVID-19 vaccines from two (2) sources: the GAVI and direct purchase from alternative sources (other manufacturers).
“From the COVAX Facility source, GAVI is going to be supporting 92 eligible countries with vaccines to immunize about 20 percent of their population free in 2021.
“The government of the participating countries can pay for extra doses above the 20 percent to be supplied by GAVI. Pfizer is one of the businesses that GAVI will get a limited quantity of the COVID-19 vaccines from to offer to the 92 eligible countries (including Nigeria).
He added: “Since only about 20 percent of supplies are being expected from GAVI, the country’s team is functioning with Russian authorities on the likelihood of getting additional COVID 19 vaccines from them.
“In 2021, about $4.0 /dose ($8.0 / person for 2 doses) is being budgeted for the extra vaccine that the country would require.
“The federal is going to be liable for the procurement of additional COVID-19 vaccines for 50 percent of the population and every one the operational costs for the targeted 70 percent of the population.”
The NPHCDA boss said COVID-19 vaccination won’t be compulsory, but are going to be made available to all or any those targeted.
“And we advise / appeal to all or any Nigerians in danger to avail themselves of vaccination willingly when the vaccines are available. Vaccines to be utilized in the country are safe with proven efficacy of above 90 per cent.
“All vaccines acquired by the govt for vaccination of its citizen will undergo NAFDAC for analysis before use.”
Shuaib said the federal has raised a Technical working party (TWG) to plan a successful COVID-19 immunisation.
Dr Shuaib chairs the TWG whose members are stakeholders involved in COVID-19 response. These are: FMoH, NPHCDA, NCDC, NAFDAC, Federal Min of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Federal Ministry of data , National Orientation Agency (NOA), NTA, CSOs, Professional bodies and Organised Private Sectors. Other members are development partners and donors.
The WHO and other International NGOs/Foundations will provide technical support to the team.
Speaking on the advantages of COVID-19 vaccines, Dr. Shuaib said: “COVID-19 vaccines that are pre-qualified will protect against most strains and reduce morbidity and mortality from the disease. it’ll be better to scale back the danger than not want to require the vaccine.”
He added: “There are over 80 strains of Rotavirus, but only about 18 of the strains are of significance which will cause major diseases. Available Rotavirus vaccines can prevent against infection from the strains that cause the diseases.
“Coronavirus is linked to the SAR-2 Group of viruses; and there has been tons of researches since the last Flu- pandemic that claimed several lives globally.”
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