BREAKING: COVID-19 vaccines arrive in Nigeria through COVAX Facility

Nigeria has obtained approximately four million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, shipped through the COVAX Facility, a partnership between CEPI, Gavi, UNICEF and WHO.

Top Naija gathered that COVAX delivered 3.94 million dosages of the AstraZeneca/Oxford vaccine, produced by the Serum Institute of India, from Mumbai to Abuja.

As indicated in a statement by the United Nations in Nigeria, the arrival denoted a historic step towards the objective to guarantee impartial distribution of COVID-19 vaccines worldwide.

Top Naija learnt that the delivery is part of the first wave of arrivals in Nigeria.

Edward Kallon, UN Resident Coordinator in Nigeria, said, “The UN Country Team in Nigeria reiterates its commitment to support the vaccination campaign in Nigeria and helps contain the spread of the virus.

“The arrival of these vaccines in Abuja today marks a milestone for the COVAX Facility in its unprecedented effort to deliver at least 2 billion doses of COVID-19 vaccines globally by the end of 2021.”

The National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) had stated that it would start the vaccination of Nigerians according to priority groups, beginning with frontline healthcare workers.

The Managing Director for Country Programmes at Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, Thabani Maphosa, said, “This is a landmark moment for the country and the COVAX Facility’s mission to help end the acute phase of the pandemic by enabling equitable access to these vaccines across the world.

“We are glad to see Nigeria is amongst the first receiving the doses from COVAX, thanks to the excellent level of preparedness put in place by the Government of Nigeria.

“Gavi looks forward to these vaccines being made available to the people most at risk, as soon as possible, and to ensuring that routine immunization services for other life-threatening infections are also delivered to avoid other disease outbreaks.”

WHO Representative in Nigeria, Dr Walter Kazadi Mulombo, added, “It is heartwarming to witness this epoch-making event and WHO wishes to congratulate the government of Nigeria for its participation in the global vaccine collaboration (COVAX) efforts and its commitment to protecting Nigerians against this pandemic.

“Vaccines are a critical new tool in the battle against COVID-19; therefore, this is a step in the right direction. These vaccines have undergone rigorous regulatory processes at global and country level and have been deemed safe and effective.”