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Fri, Mar

COVID-19 Vaccine: Nigerians To Get Their Shot By January Next Year – Okonjo-Iweala

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The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said, a Nigerian former Minister of Finance and contestant of World Trade Organisation, Ngozi Oknjo-Iweala has hinted that Nigeria and other African countries would be given access to the Coronavirus vaccine by end of January, next year through the first quarter of 2021.

The statement was disclosed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama who quoted Okonjo-Iweala shortly after they had a closed-door meeting with her in Abuja.

In her statement as quoted, “As long as one person has it in the world, no one is safe. And that is why poorer countries, lower-middle-income countries like Nigeria, need to get it as quickly as possible,”

The Financial Guru is currently the African Union Special Envoy on mobilizing international economic support for the continental fight against COVID-19 and Nigeria’s candidate for the Office of the Director-General of the World Trade Organization.

Okonjo-Iweala revealed that the international initiative involved the World Health Organisation; the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, GAVI, and the international community, to ensure that vaccines are timely delivered quickly and affordable to developing and poorest countries across the globe.

According to her negotiations is ongoing to ensure that the poor countries do not queue up behind the rich counties before they are delivered.

She described Africa as a blessed continent for recording less incidence of the dreaded virus despite the damages it inflicted on Europe and America, but warn that African should not be complacent.

The former Finance Minister disclosed that a platform called COVAX facility has been developed and already has 186 countries who have subscribed already with the sole purpose of serving the poor countries and resources have been mobilized to ensure that the vaccine gets to people quickly.

In her statement, “So, the Pfizer vaccine, the AstraZeneca, those are being negotiated now so that developing countries don’t have to stand in line behind rich countries.

“So, we hope they are starting by the end of January. We will be able to reach these countries, including most of the African countries, Nigeria included, will be able to get access to some of these vaccines.

According to her, initially, the plan was to serve octogenarians and the frontline health workers first then followed by the general population, but the COVAX facility can cover between 20-23 percent before the end of next year.

 

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