The World Health Organisation, (WHO)-led global covid19 vaccine (COVAX) initiative has disqualified Nigeria from getting the Pfizer vaccines due to its inability to provide standard storage facilities.
The vaccine is meant to be stored at minus 70 degrees Celsius, unfortunately, Nigeria lacks the infrastructure to constantly store it at that temperature.
The President Muhammadu Buhari administration had reassured the public that it is expecting 100,000 doses of vaccine through the COVAX initiative.
The WHO Africa Region Director, Dr Mathshidiso Moeti told newsmen that only four African countries were shortlisted for the Pfizer vaccine out of the 13 that applied.
Moeti added that the World Health Organisation could not risk the Pfizer vaccines going to waste.
According to her, “Around 320,000 doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine have been allocated to four African countries – Cape Verde, Rwanda, South Africa and Tunisia.
“This vaccine has received WHO Emergency Use Listing but requires countries to store and distribute doses at minus 70 degrees Celsius.
“To access an initial limited Pfizer vaccine volume, countries were invited to submit proposals.
“Thirteen African counties submitted proposals and were evaluated by a multi-agency committee based on current mortality rates, new cases and trends, and capacity to handle the vaccine’s ultra-cold chain needs.
“This announcement allows countries to fine-tune their planning for covid19 immunisation campaigns.
“We urge African nations to ramp up readiness and finalise their national vaccine deployment plans, regulatory processes, cold chain systems and distribution plans need to be in place to ensure vaccines are safely expedited from entry ports to delivery.
“We can’t afford to waste a single dose.”
However, Director General, Nigeria Institute for Medical Research, Prof Babatunde Salako earlier stated that Nigerian lacked the space to store the Pfizer vaccines at the required temperature.
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