From Fred Ezeh, Abuja

On Tuesday, March 2, this year, Nigeria took delivery of four million doses of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine said to be the first batch of expected vaccines, preparatory to vaccination exercise in Nigeria. 

This was after several “delays” and shift in arrival date, perhaps due to failed logistics arrangements or other unforeseen circumstances that elongated the arrival of the vaccines. 

GAVI, the Vaccine Alliance, the World Health Organization (WHO), and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), with the help UNICEF was said to had faciliated the procurement and shipping of the vaccine.

On Friday, March 5, the vaccination exercise was flagged off in Abuja. This was after the National Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) had certified the vaccine safe for use. 

A brief ceremony to herald the commencement of the exercise was held at the Trauma Centre, National Hospital, Abuja, with impressive representation of the officials of the Federal Government and other stakeholders. 

At about 11:05 a.m, Dr. Cyprian Ngong, a  family physician, Senior Registrar at National Hospital, Abuja, was administered the first dose of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine in Nigeria, marking the historic commencement of COVID-19 vaccination in Nigeria. 

Executive Director, National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Dr. Faisal Shuaib, administered the vaccine to Dr. Ngong, who was deeply appreciated for giving his best professionally to COVID-19 patients at one of the isolation centres in Abuja. 

Thereafter, vaccination began across the states. Several parameters were used to distribute the vaccines to states, and that include adequate maintenance of cold chain storage facilities, transportation of logistics to the ward/ health facility, adequate security during transportation and at vaccination sites, completion of training of health workers, efficient social mobilization activities in place, as well as adherence to protocol for vaccine deployment. 

Data from the national call-in dash board domiciled at the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) indicated that as at June 6, when the administration of the first dose of vaccines ended, 1,966,128 million persons were vaccinated. Lagos State led with 313, 433 persons vaccinated. FCT, Kano and Kaduna states followed with 132,483; 95,963; 92,999 people vaccinated, respectively. 

Data, however, obtained from the NPHCDA indicated that second dose of the vaccination begun immediately, after about four months. 

As at June 6, data from NPHCDA vaccination dash board indicated that 336,501 had received their second jab. 

However, there’s fear and anxiety on the ability of the vaccines reaching clients before its expiration. 

There are indications that millions of doses of the vaccine in the first batch of consignment will expire in few weeks, precisely, June 28 and July 9, respectively. 

NPHCDA Executive Director, Dr. Faisal Shuaib, was quoted to have confirmed at the National media briefing of the Presidential Steering Committee (PSC) on COVID-19 recently that the AstraZeneca vaccine will expire soon 

He said: “The batches of AstraZeneca we received some months ago have expiring dates of June and July, respectively. Howbeit, vaccination again is ongoing in all states of the federation. Our collaboration with health officials and other stakeholders at the national, state, and community levels in the vaccination exercise has yielded substantial results.”

He also said there would be delay in the arrival of another consignment of the vaccines which may also affect and impact the remaining phases of the vaccination campaign.

Meanwhile, a credible source at the PSC hinted that procurement of another batch of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine is not in the plan of the Federal Government, rather the government is considering Johnson and Johnson (J&J) vaccine because of cost, storage facilities and other unique features. 

Recall that NAFDAC, few weeks ago, confirmed J&J COVID-19 vaccine safe for use in Nigeria, after a report by its vaccine committee confirmed that data on the vaccine were robust and met criteria for efficacy, safety and quality. 

NAFDAC boss, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, had noted that most commonly reported side effects of the J&J vaccine are pain at injection site, headache, fatigue, muscle aches and nausea, and most of the side effects are mild to moderate in severity and last for one to two days.

She said the data also showed that the vaccine’s known and potential benefits outweigh its known and potential risks thereby supporting the manufacturer’s recommended use. 

She confirmed that the J&J vaccine is administered as a single dose as against the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine that is administered twice to confirm its efficacy, adding that the results from a clinical trial involving people in the United States, South Africa and Latin American countries found that the vaccine was effective at preventing COVID-19 in people from 18 years of age.

She added: “The phase III clinical trial involved over 44,000 people. Half of them received a single dose of the vaccine and half were given placebo (a dummy injection). Many of them did not know if they were given J&J COVID-19 vaccine or placebo.

“The trial found a 67 per cent reduction in the number of symptomatic COVID-19 cases after two weeks in people who received J&J COVID-19 vaccine.”

She explained that J&J COVID-19 vaccine works by preparing the body to defend itself against COVID-19, and an unopened vaccine vials can be stored and/or transported frozen at -25°C to -15°C for up to 24 months and three months when stored at 2 to 8°C.

Meanwhile, Dr. Ngong, who was the first to take AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine said that he took the second dose of the vaccine after 10 weeks, and he had no reaction.