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The Federal Government has given assurance that Nigerians will benefit early when COVID-19 vaccine is developed in commercial quantity.
Dr Osagie Ehanire, Minister of Health disclosed on Tuesday in Abuja that anytime an effective vaccine is developed as a solution to the COVID-19 pandemic, Nigerians will be among the first beneficiaries.
The minister who stated this at a two-day multi-sectoral conference on the COVID-19, noted that plans have been made by the Federal Ministry of Health to guarantee that Nigerians have access to the vaccine once it is released.
Pfizer and BioNTech on Monday announced that vaccine with they jointly developed was 90 per cent potent in preventing COVID-19 disease in ongoing Phase 3 trials.
The announcement came at a time when there was hike in coronavirus cases across the globe, forcing many countries to enforce lockdown measures, causing more harm to already affected economies.
According to the Ehanire who was represented by the Minister of State, Dr Olorunnimbe Mamora, Africa will be considered when distribution of COVID-19 vaccine commences.
He said, “The Federal Ministry of Health, just last week; we signed a Memorandum of Understanding to ensure that when the vaccines, wherever they come from, that have been established to be effective for COVID-19, we will not be left behind.”
“The figures that we have in infant mortality, in maternal mortality, a lot of the issues related can be handled at the primary care level if we have functional primary health centres, where all the basic services can be rendered and where all basic services in terms of infrastructure are available – water, electricity supply.
He added that the government was making conscious effort to build functional primary health centres that will render basic services to the people.
“That is why the ministry has designed a prototype structure of primary health centre. We are working towards having functional primary health centres that all the basic services will be available, from immunization to anti-natal care, to WASH program, health education,” Ehanire said.
This post was written by Obiajulu Joel Nwolu.
The views expressed here belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect our views and opinions.