Federal Government has expressed confidence that Nigeria would secure a fair share of COVID-19 vaccine doses as soon as they are available.
The race to secure Covid-19 vaccines heats up as countries have moved to strike partnerships with pharmaceutical companies.
The Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, made this known during the Presidential Task Force briefing on COVID-19 in Abuja.
He however criticised the move by some countries to nationalise and politicise vaccine distribution and accessibility, terming it as a failure of global leadership.
He said, “Nigeria is also working with the World Health Organisation (WHO) to finalise enrolment with ACT Accelerator, a global mechanism tracking and sponsoring research organisations working on COVID-19 vaccine development.
“We are also interested in the COVAX facility, a GAVI supported global initiative to procure and ensure equitable access to vaccines, as soon as they are available, especially for Lower and lower middle Income Countries (LMIC).
This will prioritise Nigeria for allocation of a part of 2 billion vaccines doses that will be secured, in a special plan to protect the interests of poorer countries.
“The changing dynamics of the virus and the disease make it necessary for us to continue to review our response strategies, ensure we train and update our health workers on the latest and most effective approach to treatment of the disease and tailor our procurement in the light of knowledge gained.
