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COVID-19: 40 Million Nigerians Will Be Vaccinated For Free – PTF National Coordinator
COVID-19 vaccine will be administered to about 40 million Nigerians free of charge when vaccination begins, Eko Hot Blog has learnt.
This is according to the National Coordinator, Presidential Taskforce (PTF) on COVID-19 Sani Aliyu.
Aliyu also disclosed plans by the federal government to deliver and administer the vaccine, while assuring that 20 per cent of the population will be vaccinated at no cost.
While noting that, although, there are fears that Nigerians may be unwilling to receive shots of the vaccine, he said efforts are ongoing to sensitise many and deliver the vaccines across the country.
“Yesterday, the President gave the PTF the mandate to proceed with preparations with regard to the vaccine.
“The President has also given us a marching order that the COVID-19 vaccine be made available in Nigeria.
Read also: COVID-19: NCDC Reports Four Deaths, 999 New Infections
“The COVID-19 vaccine will be available in Nigeria making use of the GAVI arrangement. We already have the assurance that we will have 20% of our population accommodated by GAVI, which is about 40 million Nigerians. They won’t need to pay for that (the vaccine),” the PTF coordinator told Channels Television in an interview.
Continuing, he added: “We have continued to work with the Federal Ministry of Health and Primary Healthcare Development Agency. The NPHCDA has a lot of experience in delivering vaccines across the country. They were involved with the polio vaccination and even at the moment, they are responsible for the delivery of the growth in child vaccination across the country, so they have a lot of experience.
“A lot of work is going on behind the scene. The NPHCDA has a committee, the Minister has set up an advisory committee and the PTF is now coming in to make sure we coordinate effectively.
“The biggest challenge we will have with the vaccine is not going to be the logistics, the biggest challenge will be the public acceptance of the safety of the vaccines and allowing themselves to be vaccinated, the challenge will be very similar to the one we have with polio,” he added.
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