Nigeria on Tuesday received 699,760 doses of COVID-19 AstraZeneca vaccine donated by the United Kingdom (UK) through the COVAX initiative.
This brings the total number of COVID-19 vaccine (AstraZeneca) doses delivered to the country through COVAX or government agreements to over 4.6 million.
COVAX is a global initiative co-led by the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), Gavi (the Vaccines Alliance) and the World Health Organisation, which works with governments and manufacturers to accelerate the development, production and equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines around the world.
Faisal Shuaib, executive director, National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) confirmed this after inspecting the vaccines at the National Strategic Cold Store in Abuja. He said Nigeria is among the first 11 African countries to receive vaccines from the UK Government.
It would be recalled that the first doses of AstraZeneca vaccines donated to COVAX by the United Kingdom (UK) arrived in Angola, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria, Senegal and Uganda, with Zambia and DRC.
This shipment of UK-donated doses is part of a broader pledge to share 100 million jabs with the rest of the world, of which 80 percent will be through COVAX.
The UK has already donated approximately 5 million vaccine doses to COVAX and the total number of doses being sent to African countries in this delivery is approximately 3 million. As part of their vaccine donation, UK is also covering the costs of syringes, safety boxes, air freight and other ancillary costs.
Shuaib, while commending the UK government noted that the vaccines were particularly important in meeting urgent needs and protecting vulnerable populations in the country as the delta variant spread.
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“I am glad to inform you that last night, we received 699,760 doses of AstraZeneca vaccine donated by the UK Government. We are most grateful to the government and people of the UK for this gesture.
“This vaccine will be deployed immediately to the States and would be administered as second dose to those who had earlier received only the first dose of the vaccine during the first phase of the vaccination roll out,” he announced.
The NPHCDA boss, therefore, urged all those who have received AstraZeneca as first dose to visit the nearest vaccination site to receive the second dose to be assured of full protection.
The ED further said the agency have also received communications from the COVAX facility of an additional 801,600 doses of AstraZeneca vaccines.
“These doses are donation from the Canadian Government and would be available for delivery by the end of August,” he said.
He noted that AstraZeneca was a vaccine that Nigerians were all familiar with and the health workers were experienced in its administration and management.
He added that its storage requirement was the same as most of the routine vaccines at temperatures of +20C +8oC.
He assured all Nigerians that all the vaccines certified by NAFDAC were highly effective against COVID-19 virus, including the Delta variant.
He also reiterated the fact that the World Health Organisation (WHO) does not approve mixing of different brands of COVID-19 vaccine. “The same vaccine must be taken for both first and second dose.
He, therefore, urged all persons 18 years and above, that were due for the second dose of AstraZeneca to visit the vaccination site and encourage friends, families, and neighbours to do same to ensure full protection from the virus
Earlier, Gill Atkinson, acting British high commissioner to Nigeria, while presenting the vaccines, said that the vaccines were donated for the wellbeing of Nigerians.
According to Aktinson, the UK was one of the first countries to back COVAX with €548 million. We have consistently pushed for a global effort that helps every country receive the vaccine against COVID-19.
“I am so pleased to see Nigeria receive 699,760 doses donated by the UK, in their second batch of the vaccine through COVAX.
“This is the first trench of the 1,299,760 doses expected to be donated by the UK through COVAX. Only by vaccinating more people around the world we can we bring an end to the global pandemic,” she explained.
She added that the UK had donated approximately five million doses to COVAX to be sent to African countries and three million of those doses were sent to Africa.
Atkinson noted that donating through COVAX help to increase vaccine coverage, ensure that no dose goes to waste and help to bring to an end the acute phase of the pandemic.
Barbara Nel, country president for the African region, AstraZeneca, expressed delight over the arrival of the vaccines, saying “the donation from the UK will bolster Nigeria’s vaccination programme”.
“Today’s arrival demonstrates the value of governments, industry and others working together to address our continent’s urgent needs to access vaccines. In this regard, AstraZeneca’s commitment to Africa remains steadfast.”
