The Federal Govt may spend around $576 million to procure the COVID-19 vaccine, which was gathered at the weekend. The government plans to immunize 70 percent of Nigerians who are at risk of the virus, Director of National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHDA) Dr. Faisal Shuaib said.
According to him, the free vaccine to immunize 20 percent of those to be vaccinated, will be made available to the country and 91 other countries by the Global Alliance for Vaccine and Immunisation (GAVI). The first batch of 100,000 Pfizer vaccine doses from the COVAX facility will arrive in the country at the end of this month or early next month. It will be used in two jabs each on 50,000 Nigerians. To meet up with vaccination of 50 percent of Nigerians, the government will need to pay $8 for two doses each.
According to the United Nations data and the data made available by the National Population Commission (NPC), Nigeria’s population is 206 million.
Nigeria’s target is to vaccinate 70 percent (144.2 million) of its 206 million people. At the rate of $8 for two doses per person, it will spend at least $576million to vaccinate 50 percent (72.1million) of the 144.2million people. The country will spend $824million to vaccinate half of its population which is about 103,000,000.
Dr. Shuaib said: “The country is expecting only one vaccine (i.e. Pfizer mRNA COVID-19 vaccine) in the first batch coming in by end of January/early February.
“The country is not buying any COVID-19 vaccine from Pfizer or China. The country plans to get COVID-19 vaccines from two (2) sources: the GAVI and direct purchase from alternative sources (other manufacturers).from the COVAX Facility source, GAVI will be supporting 92 eligible countries with vaccines to immunize about 20 percent of their population free in 2021.
“The government of the participating countries will pay for additional doses above the 20 percent to be supplied by GAVI. Pfizer is one of the companies that GAVI will get a limited quantity of the COVID-19 vaccines from to give to the 92 eligible countries (including Nigeria).
He added: “Since only about 20 percent of supplies are being expected from GAVI, the country’s team is working with Russian authorities on the possibility of getting additional COVID 19 vaccines from them.
“In 2021, about $4.0 /dose ($8.0 / person for two doses) is being budgeted for the additional vaccine that the country will require. The Federal Government will be responsible for the procurement of additional COVID-19 vaccines for 50 percent of the population and all the operational costs for the targeted 70 percent of the population.”
The NPHCDA boss said COVID-19 vaccination will not be compulsory but will be made available to all those targeted. And we appeal to all Nigerians at risk to avail themselves of vaccination willingly when the vaccines are available. Vaccines to be used in the country are safe with proven efficacy of above 90 percent.
0 comments:
Kindly comment here!