Nigeria: Vaccine management under heavy scrutiny before usage, says Mamora

“Vaccines are being used under emergency conditions and they will be subjected to scrutiny in Nigeria; NAFDAC will have to examine them thoroughly before usage."

The vaccines procured under the emergency condition in Nigeria would be arranged following heavy scrutiny before its approval for use, said Federal Government on Thursday, according to a report by Niarametrics.

Olorunnibe Mamora, the state Health Minister, disclosed in an inspection round of the National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRD).

Mamora stated that National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) would examine the COVID-19 vaccine before its usage, "vaccines are being used under emergency conditions and they will be subjected to scrutiny in Nigeria; NAFDAC will have to examine them thoroughly before usage".

“All over the world, management of disease conditions and ill health revolves around new technologies and good medicines. Nigeria has since recognised the important role of research and development in the push to promote good health, wellbeing and economic development,” the health minister added.

He further stated that the country has developed institutions like NIPRD to advance research and urged the development stakeholders to collaborate with NIPRD more in the bid to promote self-sufficiency in medicine production.

As reported, the Finance Ministry and Budget and National Planning stated that it has released over N10 billion for the production and development of the COVID-19 vaccine.

The country has reported 864 new COVID-19 cases, as per the latest data on January 28, 2021. 

864 new cases of #COVID19Nigeria;FCT-129Anambra-87Rivers-82Benue-80Oyo-76Plateau-61Kaduna-54Delta-51Nasarawa-38Kwara-36Edo-32Katsina-26Kano-24Taraba-18Ogun-14Sokoto-11Gombe-10Jigawa-7Akwa Ibom-6Cross River-6Zamfara-5Bauchi-5Osun-4Ekiti-2 pic.twitter.com/IkfwhZSiO2

— NCDC (@NCDCgov) January 28, 2021