Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire, has said Nigerians should expect to receive the COVID-19 vaccine by the end of January 2021.
He stated this on Wednesday during the 28th Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting at the Council Chamber of the State House, Abuja presided over by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.
According to the Minister, a technical working group in the Ministry of Health is working on which vaccine will best suit Nigeria.
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The federal government had previously announced that the country was working on receiving 20 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine in early 2021.
At the presidential task force briefing on COVID-19, Faisal Shuaib, executive secretary, National Primary Health Care Development Agency, said as a member of COVAX, an international coalition under the WHO umbrella, Nigeria will be given 20 million doses of COVID-19.
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He said;
We are on course to access safe vaccine in the first quarter of 2021. We will be leveraging on the polio platform to ensure effective delivery of vaccines to our vulnerable population.
We have established a supra-ministerial advisory committee to ensure a seamless administration. A technical group meets every week and has devised a risk communication plan to deliver safe vaccines to Nigerians.
President Muhammadu Buhari, who is currently in his hometown, Daura in Katsina State, joined the meeting virtually.
There has been a surge in COVID-19 cases in the country, with health authorities warning of a second wave of the pandemic.
A vaccine developed by Pfizer-BioNTech is currently being administered in the UK.
