The National primary health care development agency(NPHCDA), Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), have partnered to protect covid-19 vaccine from getting into the wrong hands.
This was made known in a press statement signed by the Executive Director/CEO National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Dr Faisal Shuaib. He disclosed that the ICPC is set to track, monitor the deployment and use of COVID-19 vaccines across the country, with a focus on four critical areas which is theft and embezzlement; service provision; vaccine availability; and advisory.
Faisal stated that this action is in line with its determination to ensure accountability and transparency in the deployment and administration of COVID-19 vaccines in Nigeria
The statement reads in full, “This collaborative effort is founded on ICPC’s three fold mandate ‘of enforcement, prevention, and public education and enlightenment to prohibit corrupt practices and other related offences. The collaboration will ensure all appropriate anti-corruption, accountability, and transparency measures are established and sustained throughout the four phases of the COVID-19 vaccination campaigns.
“These measures are imperative, as any form of corruption in the COVID-19 vaccination effort of the Federal Government will inevitably undermine the response to the pandemic, deprive citizens of their right to vaccination, and ultimately derail the goal of achieving herd immunity
“The ICPC will track and monitor the deployment and use of COVID-19 vaccines across the country, with a focus on four critical areas – theft and embezzlement; service provision; vaccine availability; and advisory.
The NPHCDA, therefore, assures the public that those with intentions of perpetrating any unlawful acts in this regard, such as extortion, diversion of vaccines and/or funds meant for the vaccination exercise, will be apprehended and would face the full wrath of the law. The general public is therefore encouraged to report any act of corruption in the vaccination process to NPHCDA or ICPC”.