COVAX is co-led by Gavi, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations and WHO, which aims to accelerate the development and manufacture of COVID-19 vaccines and to guarantee fair and equitable access for every country in the world.

The NPHCDA had, on Monday, said Nigeria would take delivery of 3,924,000 doses of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine today.

The Executive Director of the agency, Dr. Faisal Shuaib, said this at the briefing of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 in Abuja on Monday.

Shuaib had said there would be a small ceremony chaired by the Chairman of the PTF on COVID-19, Mr. Boss Mustapha, to receive the vaccine at the VIP protocol section, General Aviation Terminal of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.

The NPHCDA boss also noted that a few vials of the vaccines would be handed over to the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control team for analysis over a period of two days (Wednesday, March 3rd and Thursday, March 4th).

“Further to the clearance by NAFDAC, the PTF, FMOH, NPHCDA and strategic leaders will be at treatment center of the National Hospital on Friday March 5th 2021, where the first vaccination site will be set up to commence the vaccination of the frontline health workers and support staff.

“These Staff would also be electronically registered in the COVID-19 vaccine database and would receive their COVID-19 vaccination card which has a QR code that can be verified worldwide.

“On Monday March 8th 2021, more vaccination sites would have been set up at designated locations such as National Assembly clinic, State House clinic and Federal medical centre, Jabi where strategic leaders such as the SGF, Senate President, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Attorney General of the Federation, Inspector General of Police, the Ministers and Ministers of States, Senators, House of Representatives, traditional leaders and religious leaders would be vaccinated.

“After this launch and initial roll-out phase, vaccine distribution to the states for the phase one vaccination process will begin. This phase is the vaccination of all frontline health workers, their supporting staff and strategic leaders.

“Deployment of vaccines to the States would be based on the assessment of their level of preparedness.

“Some of the parameters that would be used for the assessment include adequate maintenance of their cold chain storage facilities, adequate preparation for logistic transportation to the ward/ health facility, adequate security in place during transportation and at vaccination sites, completion of training of health workers, efficient social mobilisation activities in place, adherence to protocol for vaccine deployment,” Shuaib said.

source: Punch