The Federal Government has said there is no side effect with the type of COVID-19 supplied to Nigeria.
Naija News understands that President Muhammadu Buhari’s led government through the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, on Thursday, March 11, urged Nigerians to be confident in the nation’s vaccine programme, noting that the country never received any batch of the AstraZeneca vaccine with a suspected side effect.
Recall that the Federal Government had launched the COVID-19 vaccination exercise in the country on Friday, March 5, 2021. However, due to the expression of fears by many citizens on the vaccination exercise, the government’s agency in a post on its Twitter account on Thursday said it is aware of precautionary concerns that have been raised regarding one specific batch of the AstraZeneca vaccine, namely ABV5300.
The statement reads further: “We understand that investigations are being conducted to determine if the batch is in any way linked to an observed side effect.
“While we await the outcome of the investigations, it is important to clearly state that Nigeria did not receive any doses from the batch of vaccines which is at issue.
“We are satisfied that the clinical evidence indicates the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine to be safe and effective.
“Our assessment is in line with countries such as Spain and the UK who have indicated that they will continue to administer the vaccine, because it remains an important tool to protect against COVID-19.
“The safety of vaccines delivered to Nigeria is paramount to the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19. For this reason, it has enhanced multi-sectoral collaboration among stakeholders and technical entities such as the FMOH, NPHCDA, NAFDAC, WHO and UNICEF, whose cooperation ensures the highest global standards are met for vaccines delivered to Nigeria before they are distributed to Nigerians. Clear, rigorous protocols are being followed to safeguard the health of Nigerians.
“We are continuing to monitor the developments regarding ABV5300 batch and will share further information as it becomes available.
“In the meantime, we encourage Nigerians who are among those being prioritized in the current phase to continue their confidence and enthusiasm for our vitally important national vaccine program. Together, we can save lives.”