Nigeria, on Tuesday received 3.94 million doses of the AstraZeneca/Oxford vaccine, manufactured by the Serum Institute of India(SII) and shipped via the COVAX facility.
The United Nations (UN) system in Nigeria made this known in a statement made available to newsmen in Lagos, NAN reports.
The UN said the arrival marked a historic step towards the goal to ensure equitable distribution of COVID-19 vaccines globally, in what would be the largest vaccine procurement and supply operation in history.
It said the delivery was part of a first wave of arrivals in Nigeria that would continue in the coming days and weeks.
The statement also quoted Edward Kallon, UN Resident Coordinator in Nigeria, as saying that “the UN is committed to support the vaccination campaign in the country and help contain the spread of the virus.”
“The arrival of these vaccines in Abuja today marks a milestone for the COVAX Facility in its unprecedented effort to deliver at least 2 billion doses of COVID-19 vaccines globally by the end of 2021.
“The arrival of the COVID-19 vaccine will enable the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) to commence the vaccination of Nigerians in priority groups, starting with frontline healthcare workers,” he said.
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