Nigeria’s bid to procure more COVID-19 vaccine doses may have suffered setback as the budget estimates for the procurement are grossly inadequate, Checkout Magazine learnt.
According to The Punch, the budget estimates the Ministry of Health submitted to the Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning were based on AstraZeneca vaccine, which is $4 per dose.
However, with the recent scarcity of AstraZeneca vaccine as a result of the COVID-19 crisis in India, there has been strong indication that Nigeria might opt for Pfizer vaccine, which is $20 per dose.
The country may not be able to afford the additional cost of procuring the Pfizer vaccine because of of its dire financial situation.
Recall that the Federal Government on March 2 received 3.9 million doses of AstraZeneca vaccine through the COVAX, an initiative co-led by the Vaccine Alliance, GAVI, and the World Health Organisation.
The initiative seeks to ensure equitable access to a COVID-19 vaccine by dividing about two billion doses across 92 low-and middle-income countries.
