Nigeria has on Tuesday morning, March 2 received first batch of Oxford/AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine.
The shipment arrived at the cargo wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Abuja at about 11:50am this morning.
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National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) announced the arrival of the shipment via its Twitter page by sharing photos of an Emirates airplane.
I AM HERE, NIGERIA!!!#YesToCOVID19Vaccine pic.twitter.com/CXmhUHJxmZ
— NPHCDA (@NphcdaNG) March 2, 2021
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COVAX shipped 3.94 million doses of the AstraZeneca/Oxford vaccine, manufactured by Serum Institute of India, from Mumbai to Abuja.
According to a statement by United Nations in Nigeria, the arrival marked a historic step towards the goal to ensure equitable distribution of COVID-19 vaccines globally.
On his part, UN Resident Coordinator in Nigeria, Edward Kallon, said;
The UN Country Team in Nigeria reiterates its commitment to support the vaccination campaign in Nigeria and help contain the spread of the virus.
The arrival of these vaccines in Abuja today marks a milestone for the COVAX Facility in its unprecedented effort to deliver at least 2 billion doses of COVID-19 vaccines globally by the end of 2021.
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It would be recalled that Executive Director/CEO of NPHCDA, Dr Faisal Shuaib, on Monday said there is going to be a mini ceremony chaired by Chairman of PTF on COVID-19, Boss Mustapha, to receive the vaccine at VIP Protocol section, General Aviation Terminal of Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.
He said at the end of the ceremony, a few vials of the vaccines would be handed over to NAFDAC team which they will analyse over a period of two days (Wednesday, March 3 and Thursday, March 4).
According to NPHCDA, vaccines would be for Nigerians in priority groups, starting with frontline healthcare workers.
See some photos of the shipment arriving below;
