The Ministry of Finance has released N10bn to support domestic vaccines production to tackle COVID-19 pandemic in the country.
The Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire, says Nigeria’s total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases is 110,387 out of a total of 1,172,234 samples tested, with a cumulative positivity rate of 9.4 percent.
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He said 1,444 cases were recorded in the past 24 hours with sadly 77 deaths in the past week and total fatality of 1,435.
The minister spoke at the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 briefing on Monday in Abuja.
He also disclosed that the Ministry of Finance had released N10bn to support domestic vaccines production to tackle COVID-19 pandemic in the country.
“While we’re working to develop our own vaccines, Nigeria is exploring options for licensed production, in collaboration with recognised institutions.
“We’re also exploring the option of local production of the vaccines in the country.”
He urged Nigerians to ignore claims by some people that they had COVID-19 vaccines for sale in the country.
“I advise all citizens to disregard these claims, as they are criminal.
“There are procedures for vaccine acquisition and use, which include appropriate regulations and certification by National Agency for Food and Drug and Administration and Control.
“I advise against fake vaccines, as there is no one approved for use in the country.
“The National Primary Health Care Development Agency is the only authorized vaccine administrator in Nigeria,” he said.
Ehanire said the number of new COVID-19 cases had continued to rise in the country, such that 10,300 confirmed cases were reported from just 50,750 samples tested in one week, translating into 20 percent positivity rate.
“It means one out of every five persons tested in the last one week turned out positive, compared with the previous week which recorded a positivity rate of 14 percent.
“It is instructive of the second wave that all cases recorded so far this January is more than 20 percent of all confirmed cases in Nigeria, more than the whole of December, barely halfway through the month.
“There is no doubting the fact that we are deeply into the second wave of the pandemic which requires that PTF and FMoH review our strategies to respond to the challenge.
“The federal ministry of health has outlined three approaches to confront the pandemic.
“These are: infection mitigation, therapeutics and vaccines,” he said.
Ehanire reiterated that reducing infection rate for COVID-19 remained the easiest and cheapest objective of the government. (NAN)
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