The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has received for evaluation; dossiers for Chinese vaccine and three others amid the ravaging COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria.
Osagie Ehanire, the Minister of Health revealed this on Monday at Abuja during a meeting by the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19.
He identified the COVID-19 vaccines as Sinopharm Vaccine of China, Sputnik V vaccine of Russia, Covishield or Astra Zeneca manufactured under license by Serum Institute of India, and Covaxin by Bharat vaccines of India.
“The National Agency For Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has received dossiers for Sputnik V vaccine of Russia, Covishield or Astra Zeneca manufactured under license by Serum Institute of India, Covaxin by Bharat vaccines of India and the Sinopharm Vaccine of China, for evaluation and validation for use in Nigeria. Some of them are nearly ready for results,” he said.
“It is important to stress that all COVID-19 vaccines carry a certain amount of risk and any vaccines not approved by the Federal Ministry of Health through its Agencies cannot be used in Nigeria.
“The government will not be responsible for the safety or efficacy of vaccines given outside the framework of the Government. NPHCDA has carefully calculated all the needs of Nigeria and it is possible to accommodate all the interests in the framework”.
The Minister also announced the donation of 100,000 AstraZeneca or Covishield vaccine doses by the Indian government.
Ebola Outbreak
Speaking on the Ebola outbreak in DR Congo and Guinea, Ehanire said the Ministry of Health is closely monitoring the situation and other diseases of public health concern.
He explained that “Nigeria’s Port Health Services have been put on alert on land, sea and Air borders and all major hospitals have also been put on notice to alert health workers to have a keen index of suspicion and to check patient travel history, especially at Outpatient departments, and report concerns to infectious disease focal persons and the State epidemiologists without hesitation.”
According to him, stricter infection prevention and control measures, including Personal Protective measures, must be taken immediately there is a reason to suspect.
“Nigeria is willing to send experienced volunteers from our Centres of Excellence on Viral hemorrhagic fever, to support WHO measures to contain Ebola resurgence in our West African subregion.
“It is important to protect the subregion from the catastrophic burden of dealing with two severe diseases of public health concern,” he added.
 has received for evaluation dossiers for Chinese vaccine and three others amid the ravaging COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria.){kind=link}