By Joyce Remi- Babayeju
The Federal Government says it has distributed the Moderna vaccine to 29 States to facilitate the second phase of the COVID-19 vaccination.
Executive Director of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, NPHCDA, Dr. Faisal Shuaib made this known at a Media briefing on progress of phase 2 COVID-19 vaccination in Nigeria held yesterday in Abuja.
However Shuaib explained that the vaccines distribution which includes the Johnson and Johnson, J&J, and AstraZeneca vaccines brand were also distributed in readiness for government’s preparation for State Ultra- Cold Chain equipment.
He said,” Furthermore we want to ensure that any state we are sending the vaccines to is fully ready to receive them. Adding that functional state Ultra- Cold equipment should be able to store vaccines at the required temperatures.
States must have back up storage facilities such as Walk- in Cold Room, Walk-in freezer or Chest freezers with reliable 24 hour power supply, he explained.
He however disclosed that since commencement of the second phase vaccination and in a bid to ensure that
Nigerians healthy the focus has been on distributing the range of COVID-19 vaccines – Moderna, Johnson & Johnson and AstraZeneca to the states, as well as concluding the training of state and LGA personnel to ensure optimum vaccine utilization.
Shuaib noted that unlike the AstraZenec Moderna vaccine did not come with complete barcoding which is needed for to track and trace the vaccines adding that Nigeria was the first country to use Track and Trace, to monitor the movement and utilization of the vaccine.
“At every point in time, we know where each vaccine vial is in the country. This takes a lot of time as it entails careful packaging, serialization and follow up to the end user.”
The agency urged Governors to continue to provide the needed oversight and resources to ensure that these vaccines are secured and maintained in the required temperatures and that all eligible persons are mobilized to access the vaccines to protect themselves, their families and their communities against COVID-19.
For the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, which is a single dose, using Geographical Information System (GIS) we have mapped out the hard-to-reach areas across all States, such as security-compromised, riverine, nomadic and border settlements where these vaccines will be deployed for targeted vaccination.
We have developed the necessary protocols to guide the States and ensure compliance with the distribution guideline for the vaccine. The AstraZeneca vaccine will be used as the second dose for those who received their first dose during the first phase, to ensure they are fully vaccinated.”
NPHCDA have however promised that the administration of AstraZeneca Vaccine will commence on the 25th of August and will close on 5th of September.
