Nigeria: Covid-19 Vaccine Not for Sale, Says Govt

The federal government has declared that the COVID-19 vaccine is not for sale and has ruled out the possibility of a fake vaccine being distributed or sold in the country by an unlicensed institution.

This was contained in a circular signed by the Director, Department of Hospital Service, Federal Ministry of Health, Dr. Adebimpe Adebiyi, on behalf of the Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, in Abuja, Daily Times gathered.

The circular came after the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 issued a letter about the seizure of approximately 3,000 doses of bogus COVID-19 vaccines bound for Africa from China.

“I am, therefore, to bring this to your attention and dispel any likelihood of COVID-19 vaccines being available for sale or administered by any unauthorized agency,” the minister said after acknowledging receipt of the PTF letter.

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“Please notice that the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has approved the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja as the only Point of Entry (PoE) for imported COVID-19 vaccines to avoid the importation of fake vaccines.”

He then brought the bogus COVID-19 vaccines bound for Africa to the attention of chief medical directors and medical directors of federal tertiary health institutions, noticing that they had been arrested in China.

Meanwhile, competent sources in the ministry confirmed the information to the NAN in Abuja.

One of the sources said: “the ministry issued a circular to inform the medical directors of federal hospitals about the fake vaccines.

“It is just to let them (medical directors) know that fake COVID-19 vaccines are on the way to Africa but is not in Nigeria.

“Because Nigeria does not accept vaccines from China, there is no way for fake vaccines to enter the country because only the Federal Government is authorized to import COVID-19 vaccines for the time being.”