The Federal Government stated that the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) with its partners, is working to fix healthcare value chain roadblocks that may affect the fair distribution of Covid-19 vaccines.
This was disclosed on Tuesday in Abuja by the Minister of State for Health, Sen. Olorunnimbe Mamora, at the daily Presidential Task Force briefing on Covid-19.
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The Minister disclosed that the agency is currently assessing gaps related to distribution challenges. He said,
- “In terms of vaccines, the lead agency, NPHCDA, working with partners, is currently assessing the infrastructural gaps in terms of logistics for cold chain maintenance, storage, supply and distribution. We are also working with the Aviation Ministry to ensure strict enforcement of COVID-19 protocols at the local and international wings of airports across the country, taking cognisance of the high transmissibility of the new strain of the virus already confirmed in many countries.
- “Particular attention in this regard is therefore being focused on passengers arriving from the UK and South Africa. We appeal to all states to increase testing to enable us to know exactly where we are. This will enable us to put in place measures to check transmission and provide treatment for patients.”
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The Minister added that the FG is also working to ensure the availability of oxygen tanks in hospitals.
- “The Federal Government has been making spirited efforts at ensuring availability of oxygen on a short term basis through collaboration with CACOVID, while pursuing the process for nationwide equitable and sustainable oxygen availability at federal tertiary hospitals as well as state-owned hospitals.
- “It is important to state that the ultimate plan in terms of medical oxygen supply is based on systematic oxygen assessment and gaps identification in the country, bordering on severe disequilibrium, uneven storage/demand ratio, distribution logistics challenges and equipment and plant dilapidation.
- “Our oxygen availability intervention plan is targeted at immediate, medium and long-term plans with special attention to COVID-19 high burden areas such as FCT, Lagos and Kaduna.”
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What you should know
- Nairametrics reported last month that the Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH) disclosed that the Health Sector Next Level Agenda will boost primary healthcare in Nigeria and also catch up with healthcare-related gaps by as much as 60% through the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
- The Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, also stated that Nigeria is ready for its Covid-19 vaccination strategy, revealing that the FG plans to acquire vaccines valued at N400 billion.
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