Nigeria Negotiates With Russia For Vaccine Supply

Federal Government says Russia has agreed to supply Nigeria with her Sputnik V vaccine. A vaccine that has an efficacy of 91%.

Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, made this known on Monday at the weekly press briefing of the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19, in Abuja.

Ehanire said that the Nations have had bilateral negotiations.

The Minister added that the Federal Government is as well working towards obtaining more vaccines from China.

“We are also in talks with the High Commissioner of India over the covax vaccine of Barhat Institute. Both vaccines dossiers are under evaluation with NAFDAC,” he said.

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He further called on citizens of Nigeria to disregard the news that Nigeria was “disqualified” from vaccine allocation.

The Minister said, “this is false, Nigeria has ultracold (minus 80oC) freezers in strategic stores in Lagos, Abuja and Bauchi, with space to hold over 400,000 doses of vaccines, more than the 320,000 doses WHO Afro had offered. Those vaccines had been reserved for countries with very high burden, to which Nigeria did not belong.

He said the Vaccine deployment strategy includes the essential frontline health workers, the elderly, and citizens with vulnerabilities.

“​Nigeria has made elaborate plans and microplans to roll out COVID-19 vaccination and address any gaps in financing an early rollout activity. National Primary Health Care Development Agency is on top of this program to deliver the vaccines, in collaboration with State Governments,” Ehanire said.