The National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) has assured Nigerians that the country is not among the red listed countries that need the mandatory quarantine of 14 days upon arrival to the United Kingdom (UK).
NPHCDA made the clarification in reaction to the UK statement released on Monday stating that Nigeria will continue to isolate in a supervised facility upon arrival to the UK.
On Monday, the United Kingdom relaxed COVID-19 restriction for 50 countries excluding Nigeria and other African countries. This means Nigerians entering the United Kingdom will be subjected to COVID-19 test and isolation in spite of their COVID-19 Vaccine certificate obtained in Nigeria.
Addressing journalists at the weekly press conference on the progress of the COVID-19 vaccination on Tuesday in Abuja, the Executive Director of NPHCDA, Dr Faisal Shuaib explained that the current listing of countries with approved vaccination certification has just started in the UK adding that they are reviewing the Country’s programs in phases.
He said: “The UK Government is yet to comprehensively review Nigeria’s vaccination certification program. From my communication with the UK Government officials, the vaccines administered in Nigeria are approved by the UK Government.
“They are also involved with the vaccination program in Nigeria through the Foreign, Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO) and they are optimistic that by the time Nigeria’s COVID-19 vaccination program certification is assessed, it will be approved.
“There are many countries in the world, so we like many other countries are in the queue for this assessment. Once it gets to our turn, we are more likely than not to get approved in the coming weeks. Like the UK Government have clearly stated, the process of assessment would occur in phases” he noted.
Dr Faisal also noted that over four million eligible individuals have received the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine while over two million have completed their second doses of the vaccine.
He said “as at yesterday, the 4th of October 2021, Nigeria had vaccinated 4,963,985 eligible persons across the country with first dose of COVID-19 vaccines. This figure represents 4.4% of the targeted 111,776,503 eligible population.
“About 2,166,186 people have received their second doses of the vaccines. This means that approximately 1.9% of eligible populated is now fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
“It is imperative to reiterate the fact that only those who have taken their second dose are fully protected against the deadly COVID-19”.
He said Nigeria has taken delivery of more vaccine while expecting more in the coming weeks.
“I would like to inform you that yesterday evening, we received 501,600 doses of AstraZeneca vaccines from the COVAX facility as donation from the Government of France.
“We have also gotten confirmation that we will be receiving 3,577,860 doses of Pfizer vaccines within the next two weeks.
“In the coming months, Nigeria will be receiving more doses of COVID-19 vaccines through COVAX facility. We anticipate that the vaccines will be quite large in amount, and therefore will require more efficient and faster ways of utilizing them including expanding access to the vaccines.
“We have therefore started implementing the decentralisation of vaccine utilisation by involving the private sector in the vaccine administration” the ED added.
The World Health Organisation Country Representative, Dr Walter Molombo commended Nigeria for the strategy it adopted in administering the vaccine and recommended same for other African countries.
Also, UNICEF country Representative, Peter Hawkins who was represented by Dr Dorothy Ochola said the number of persons vaccinated daily increased to about 100,000.
She said for Nigeria to meet its target, there is the need to increase the number of vaccination per day to 300,000.
