NAFDAC approves Oxford/AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine for use in Nigeria

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has approved the Oxford/AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine for use in Nigeria.

This information was made public by Bashir Ahmad, the Personal Assistant on New Media to President Muhammadu Buhari, today the 18th of February 2021.

According to his statement, the Director-General of the Agency, Dr. Mojisola Adeyeye made this decision based on the recommendation of the agency after rigorous scientific considerations conducted by NAFDAC.

READ: Nigeria allocated 16 million doses of AstraZeneca vaccine – NPHCDA

The NAFDAC has approved the use of the Oxford/AstraZeneca a COVID-19 vaccine in Nigeria, the Director-General of the Agency, Dr. Mojisola Adeyeye made the announcement today and she also stated that the vaccine can be stored at 2 to 8-degree centigrade.

— Bashir Ahmad (@BashirAhmaad) February 18, 2021

What you should know

• According to a Bloomberg report, Dr. Adeyeye noted that the review of the shot’s efficacy was conducted by NAFDAC after the agency received the “vaccine dossier” from Serum Institute of India on Feb. 10. “COVISHIELD was found safe and well-tolerated in adults above 18 years of age.
• Adeyeye also stated that the vaccine can be stored at 2 to 8-degree centigrade. This, however, is a major issue as the complex logistics of managing the vaccine cold chain, combined with the limited government funding may aggravate the logistical challenge of transporting and distributing those vaccines quickly in the country.
• Nairametrics reported that the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) announced that the Federal Government had finalized plans to use the AstraZeneca vaccine, based on the epidemiological assessment done by the World Health Organisation (WHO).
• However, subsequent to the previous approval of WHO, Dr Mariangela Simao, the WHO Assistant-director general for access to medicines and health products, revealed that the WHO had finally given approval for two versions of the AstraZeneca/Oxford Covid-19 vaccine for emergency use and to be rolled out globally via COVAX.