… as FG gets additional 10m vaccines doses from AU $2 backing
By Joyce Remi-Babayeju
As Nigeria daily continues to record rising number of COVID-19 infections, for the first a new strain, the B117 UK variant has hit the country.
The Chairman of the PTF Boss Mustapha revealed this today in Abuja at the Presidential Task Force, PTF, briefing on COVID- 19.
Mustapha said, ” There have been reports of cases with cases with the B117 variant strain , first reported in the UK, found in Nigeria.”
” Three of these were in travellers out of Nigeria and one is a resident. “
The PTF also announced that government is making efforts to access the COVAX vaccine initial 100,000 doses which will arrive by the early weeks of February. ” We wish to assure all Nigerians that the vaccines will be safe and effective when eventually it is deployed,”
However Nigerians have been advised not to patronize any one Hawking or marketing vaccines.
The PTF Chairman announced that the only source of vaccines in Nigeria is through the channel of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, NPHCDA.
The PTF also informed that government is stepping up on improving the management of infection cases with the availability of medical oxygen as Government is fast tracking the rehabilitation of existing plants and construction of new ones.
Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire noted that one of the clogs in the wheel of progress on COVID-19 awareness is the confusion and misinformation chaos from the social media and estwhile trusted and respected persons and organs who are expected to know better.
” I wish to stress again that this fight is not for government alone ; it is for all Nigerians and persons resident in Nigeria to own and play their part.’
“Persons who delight in peddling rumours and false information about the pandemic can help by restraining themselves rather than walk against the gains.”
Meanwhile, the Minister of Health further disclosed that aside from the COVAX facility 100, 000 doses of vaccines allocated for the first wave to Nigeria, the Federal Government has placed an additional 10 million doses through the Africa Vaccines Acquisition Task Team, AVATT, of the African Union, AU, Commission.
The AU has secured 270 million doses with the $2 billion backing by the Africa Exim Bank for a “whole -of – Africa ” approach of the Chairman of AU President Ramaphosa of South Africa.
The vaccine is expected to be rolled out from late March or April, Ehanire disclosed.
