Nigeria Targets 70% of Population for Vaccination

Osagie Ehanire

Nigeria’s federal government has said it will strive to procure vaccines for at least 70% of its population.

The government also said it has released N10 billion (about $25m) to support domestic vaccine production.

The Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, disclosed while making presentations at the media briefing by the PTF on Monday in Abuja said:

“Nigeria is participating in the African Union initiative called ‘African Vaccine Availability Task Team’, which reports directly to the African Union Chairman, President Ramaphosa of South Africa, and has secured options for 270 million doses of various types of vaccines.”

According to him, the Federal Ministry of Finance has released N10 billion to support domestic vaccine production.

On claims by some persons in Nigeria, to have Covid-19 vaccines for sale, Ehanire advised all citizens to disregard such claims as they are criminals.

Meanwhile, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) said that it has published new guidance for state governments, public and private institutions, on the use of approved Antigen (Ag) based Rapid Diagnostic Tests (RDT) for the pandemic.

NCDC’s Director-General, Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu, said following approval of the Emergency Use Authorisation (EUA) of two Ag RDTs, manufactured by SD Biosensor, NCDC in collaboration with other stakeholders carried out a national validation of these RDTs.

Meanwhile, the federal government has stated that on no account should schools demand Covid-19 test as a prerequisite for allowing pupils to resume their studies.

It stated that only temperature checks should be carried out on pupils and any other person crossing any school gate.

In a statement on Monday by the Director of Information and Public Affairs to the Ministry of Education, Mr. Ben Goong, the federal government warned school authorities to desist from asking pupils or parents to undergo a test before they are accepted in their schools.

“Only temperature checks should be carried out on students and any other person crossing any school gate. School authorities should therefore refrain from asking students or parents to undergo COVID-19 test before they are accepted in their schools,” the statement said.