NPHCDA collaborates with ICPC on COVID-19 vaccine safety

The National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) has collaborated with the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) towards the safety and accountability to deploy and administer COVID-19 vaccines in Nigeria.

Announcing this in Abuja on Monday, the Executive Director/CEO of NPHCDA, Dr Faisal Shuaib, disclosed that the joint effort is established with ICPC’s three-fold mandate of enforcement, prevention, and public education and enlightenment to disallow unethical practices and other related crimes.

Shuaib further said that the partnership will guarantee honesty, responsibility, and transparency measures set up and sustained throughout the four stages of the COVID-19 vaccination campaigns.

He said, “These measures are imperative, as any form of corruption in the COVID-19 vaccination effort of the Federal Government will inevitably undermine the response to the pandemic, deprive citizens of their right to vaccination, and ultimately derail the goal of achieving herd immunity.

“The ICPC will track and monitor the deployment and use of COVID-19 vaccines across the country, with a focus on four critical areas – theft and embezzlement; service provision; vaccine availability; and advisory.”

In accordance with Shuaib, “The NPHCDA, therefore, assures the public that those with intentions of perpetrating any unlawful acts in this regard, such as extortion, diversion of vaccines and/or funds meant for the vaccination exercise, will be apprehended and would face the full wrath of the law.

“The general public is therefore encouraged to report any act of corruption in the vaccination process to NPHCDA or ICPC.”