The Federal Government has allayed fears of the possibility of any fake Covid-19 vaccines being administered or sold by unauthorised institutions in the country as it has taken measures against such.
This follows a reported letter from the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on Covid-19 regarding the interception of about 3,000 doses of fake Covid-19 vaccine which were Africa-bound from China.
The Federal Government’s reaction to the matter is contained in a circular issued by the Federal Ministry of Health and signed by the Director, Department of Hospital Service, Dr Adebimpe Adebiyi, on behalf of the Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire in Abuja.
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What the Minister of Health is saying
Ehanire, who acknowledged receipt of the letter from the PTF, said “I am, therefore, to bring this to your notice and dispel any possibility of Covid-19 vaccines being available for sale or being administered by any unauthorised institution.
To prevent the importation of fake vaccines, kindly note that the Nigeria Customs Service has designated the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, as the only Point of Entry (PoE) for imported COVID-19 vaccines.”
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The minister in the meantime called the attention of Chief Medical Directors and Medical Directors of Federal Tertiary Health Institutions to the interception of fake Covid-19 vaccines that were on their way to Africa from China.
According to a report from the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), while confirming the Ministry’s letter to the medical directors of federal hospitals about the fake vaccines, some sources pointed out that it was just to let them know that fake Covid-19 vaccines are on its way to Africa but not in Nigeria noting that Nigeria is not even taking vaccines from China.
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In case you missed it
- The Federal Government on Saturday, March 27, 2021, raised an alarm over fake Covid-19 vaccines currently in circulation in Africa after it had intercepted about 3,000 of the fake vaccines, which were Africa-bound from China.
- If not checked, this might put the Covid-19 vaccination programme and the government’s effort at curtailing the spread of the pandemic in jeopardy.
