FG finally reveals the COVID-19 vaccine approved for Nigerians
- After months of waiting, NAFDAC has finally approved the Oxford/AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine
- The agency's DG, Mojisola Adeyeye, announced the approval on Thursday, February 18
- The National Primary Health Care Development Agency had earlier announced the plan to vaccinate 109 million Nigerians in two years
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The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has approved the use of the Oxford/AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine for use in Nigeria.
NAFDAC's director-general, Mojisola Adeyeye, made the announcement on Thursday, February 18, President Buhari's new media aide, Bashir Ahmad stated on Twitter.
Legit.ng gathers that Adeyeye also stated that the vaccine can be stored at 2 to 8-degree centigrade.
Ahmad tweeted:
"The NAFDAC has approved the use of the Oxford/AstraZeneca a COVID-19 vaccine in Nigeria, the Director-General of the Agency, Dr. Mojisola Adeyeye made the announcement today and she also stated that the vaccine can be stored at 2 to 8-degree centigrade."
109 million Nigerians to receive COVID-19 vaccine in two years
Meanwhile, the coronavirus vaccine rollout in Nigeria will not be as swift as those of other developed countries if the submission of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) is to be believed.
According to the health agency, about 109 million Nigerians will be vaccinated against the coronavirus within the next two years.
This was disclosed by Faisal Shuaib, NPHCDA executive director, at the presidential task force (PTF) on COVID-19 briefing, held on Monday, February 15.
Three categories of citizens to first get COVID-19 vaccine in Nigeria
Meanwhile, the NPHCDA has listed the categories of people to get vaccinated first as COVID-19 infection rates continue to go higher in the country.
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NPHCDA boss, Dr Shuaib, revealed this on Saturday, February 6 while addressing a joint press conference alongside a representative of the World Health Organisation in Abuja.
According to him, frontline health workers, elderly people and persons with co-morbidities, and strategic country leadership will be prioritised for vaccination.
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Nurudeen Lawal is a Legit.ng journalist passionate about fact-checking/verification journalism. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Literature-in-English from Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State. As Politics Editor, Nurudeen mostly writes on Nigeria’s political and socio-economic developments. He has attended different workshops, conferences and training on fact-checking and digital reporting, among others. Learn more about him on Twitter, @Nurudeen Lawal_
Source: Legit.ng