Nigeria has received its first shipment of 846,000 doses of the R21 malaria vaccine from Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance.
Coordinating Minister of Heath and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Pate launched the vaccines in Abuja on Thursday, October 17, 2024.
Pate disclosed that an additional 140,000 doses were expected in the coming months, in line with the country’s goal to secure one million doses in this initial phase.
He explained that this shipment of vaccine was important in preventing malaria that claims hundreds of thousands of lives in the country every year, with children bearing the most burden.
He further informed that the vaccines were an opportunity for every child to live a life free of malaria:
“Every child that has full course of the vaccine has an opportunity to live a life of health. A child that is immunized against the disease has an opportunity to live a life free of that disease. So it’s a miracle, but it’s also a source of opportunity. They are safe and efficacious”, he said.
The minister noted that the vaccines were not enough for the population, and urged all the Nigerians to take advantage of the limited availability, and to discount misinformation.
He also announced that distribution will begin in Bayelsa and Kebbi, areas with high malaria prevalence.
On his part, Director General of the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHCDA), Dr. Muyi Aina outlined the agency’s plans for distribution. He announced that a task force would be established to oversee the rollout, with the specific dates and locations for vaccine administration to be communicated in due course.
