FG denies allotting COVID-19 vaccines to rich Nigerians

The Federal Government of Nigeria has insisted that the AstraZeneca/Oxford COVID-19 vaccines currently in the country have not been allotted to rich Nigerians.

The Executive Director of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr Faisal Shuaib, disclosed this while featuring on Channels Television’s ‘Sunrise Daily’ programme on Wednesday.

He said President Muhammadu Buhari has made it clear that the COVID-19 vaccines are meant for all Nigerians.

Nigeria, on Tuesday, received 3.94 million doses of the AstraZeneca/Oxford vaccine, manufactured by the Serum Institute of India (SII) and shipped via the COVAX facility.

According to Shuaib, “We’re protecting the vaccines very closely. We have increased security around the vaccines to make sure that unauthorised access is not possible.

“So, we are waiting for NAFDAC. We feel that they’re going to do all of the checks that are necessary, and once they give us the green light, we will be ready to roll out the vaccines.”

When asked if the vaccines have been shared among influential people in the country, Shuaib added, “I will tell you categorically that we haven’t allotted these vaccines to the rich people or to the people in the urban areas, absolutely not. Mr President (Buhari) has been very clear.

“Mr Vice President (Osinbajo) has also added his voice, and the Chairman of the Presidential Task Force (Boss Mustapha) has communicated this at the Presidential Task Force media briefings.”