In line with its goal of ensuring optimum utilisation of the covid-19 vaccines in her possession, the federal government has commenced synergizing with private health facilities to administer the life-saving vaccines.
Executive Director, National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Dr. Faisal Shuaib hinted this at a press briefing on Tuesday, October 4, 2021 in Abuja.
TheFact Nigeria noted that the government was trying every possible means to exhaust its covid-19 vaccines because of their short dated shelf life.
According to Dr. Shuaib, engaging the private sector became necessary because of the large volume of vaccines the country was expected to receive in the next couple of weeks.
“In the coming months, Nigeria will be receiving more doses of COVID-19 vaccines through COVAX facility.
“We anticipate that the vaccines will be quite large in amount, and therefore will require more efficient and faster ways of utilizing them including expanding access to the vaccines.
“We have therefore started implementing the decentralisation of vaccine utilisation by involving the private sector in the vaccine administration”, he said.
However, the NPHCDA boss stressed that only private health facilities who met the set criteria after due training of their immunization service providers would be allocated the vaccines.
He said they would be selected based on transparent eligibility criteria, and supervision will be maximized to ensure discipline and compliance with safety measures set by the agency.
Dr. Shuaib hinted that each vaccine vial would be strictly monitored to prevent racketeering.
He emphasised that currently, only government healthcare facilities were administering the vaccines, hence the public should be wary of fake vaccination centers.
Addressing questions raised as to whether Nigerians entering the United Kingdom (UK) needed mandatory quarantine and 14days supervision in a UK facility, Dr. Shuaib said:
“Nigeria is not among the red listed countries that need to mandatory quarantine for 14 days in a supervised UK facility.
“The statement released by the UK Government is in line with the Press statement released last week that Nigerians will continue to isolate upon arrival to the UK. This is similar to our requirement to have travellers from the UK, isolate for seven days upon arrival in Nigeria.
“The UK Government is yet to comprehensively review Nigeria’s vaccination certification program. From my communication with the UK Government officials, the vaccines administered in Nigeria are approved by the UK Government”, he explained.
