Pascal Arogorn Ibe
Executive Secretary, National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHCDA), Faisal Shuaib, Tuesday against assured Nigerians on the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines outside the storage facility.
He spoke in Abuja during the facility tour of the three new Ultra Cold Chain (UCC) and other storage facilities ahead of the arrival of the first set of 100,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines.
He said the vaccines could remain effective for at least five days outside the UCC storage facility.
He said the 100,000 doses of vaccines, expected from Pfizer, would arrive in Nigeria by the end of January and would be applied on 50,000 Nigerians, including frontline health workers and elite, especially state governors, traditional and religious leaders, among others.
Shuaib said despite the skepticism and conspiracy theories around the vaccines, the government was focused on protecting Nigerians from the pandemic.
He said the community engagement was aimed at educating the grassroots and sharing the right information about the vaccines.
He said the cold storage facilities would be replicated at the state levels, adding that the newly acquired set had the capacity to store 400,000 doses effectively.
“We’re mindful that we have a lot of work to overcome vaccine hesitancy we’re already seeing, the misinformation, the conspiracy theories around the COVID-19 vaccines and we do not take for granted that all Nigerians understand the principles around vaccines production.
“No vaccines will be administered to any Nigerian without NAFDAC certifying it.
“I want to reiterate that the responsibility of taking that decision to vaccinate Nigerians is of the government.
“It’s a sacred trust that we do not take for granted. We’re going to be doing it very diligently,” Shuaib said.
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