President, Muhammadu Buhari and Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo will on Saturday receive the first shot of COVID-19 vaccines in Nigeria.
The Executive Director of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr Faisal Shuaib, announced this during the second edition of State House weekly briefing held at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Shuaib said Nigeria would begin to administer the COVID-19 vaccine to its citizens on Friday after a launch that would take place at the National Hospital, Abuja.
Samples of the vaccine were handed over to the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control for safety review on Tuesday after the country had received them. The result of the review was being expected as of Thursday.
The NPHCDA boss said with the review concluded, the next phase would be for his agency to begin vaccination.
He said, “The next step in the vaccination programme, given that we have now received the vaccine, is a launch that will be taking place at the National Hospital tomorrow (Friday). The time scheduled for that launch is 10am. The launch will be conducted by the Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19.
“The plan is to vaccinate the frontline health workers that work in the treatment centre of the National Hospital, those will be the first people just like we have communicated that frontline health workers will be the first people to take the vaccine.”
He added, “After that (the launch), the plan is to vaccinate Mr President, Mr Vice-President and strategic leaders on Saturday.
