Taiwo Popoola
Nigerian Government has announced the arrival of the first batch of 846,000 doses of the R21 malaria vaccines, from the Vaccine Alliance, Gavi.
Also, the Government through the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, NPHCDA, said that Kebbi and Bayelsa States would be the first to receive the vaccines.
The vaccine was officially launched on Thursday by the Minister of Health, Ali Pate, alongside officials of the Ministry of Health, the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), and development partners.
Pate said the arrival of the vaccines was a significant milestone in the efforts of the government to eliminate malaria in the country.
There have been concerns among Nigerians about the efficacy of the vaccine, but the Minister cleared the air, insisting it has proven to be safe and efficient for malaria treatment.
On his own, the Director General of the NPHCDA, Muyi Aina, explained the plans for distribution, adding that an enforcement team would be set up by the agency and the date and location for the administration of the vaccines would be communicated in due course.
Aina said about 140,000 doses are expected in the coming months as the target is to make available one million vaccines for the first batch.
He said the vaccines would first be distributed to states with the highest burden of the disease, particularly Kebbi and Bayelsa and would serve as a complement to other treatments for malaria.
The R21 malaria vaccine, which would be administered in two doses per vial, was produced by the Serum Institute of India.
