The Federal Government said the unpredictability of vaccine supply as a result of global shortage remained a huge challenge.
The Minister of Health, Doctor Osagie Ehanire disclosed this during the weekly presidential media chat, saying Nigeria was looking to get a donation of the COVID-19 vaccine from the Covax facility and other countries that no longer had a need for their oxford AstraZeneca vaccine.
This donation Doctor Ehanire hoped would be received in August 2021 at the earliest.
He further explained that the local production of the COVID-19 vaccine was not yet feasible owing to the high cost of conducting clinical trials that run into millions of dollars.
The health minister indicated that there was no supplementary budget yet as he declined to disclose the country’s financial commitment towards procuring additional vaccines.
Although a budget had not yet been in place, Dr Ehanire highlighted that the country had begun putting strategies in place towards potentially becoming a vaccine production hub in Africa. (Channels TV)
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