The National Food and Drugs Administration Council, NAFDAC said it has a gateway in place for any COVID-19 vaccine coming from South-East Asia into Nigeria to avoid fake medicine.
This was announced by the director-general of NAFDAC, Mojisola Adeyeye during the launch of the T.E.A.C.H. Strategy for #COVID19 Vaccination Roll-out in Nigeria.
Nigeria is expecting the first batch of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine on March 2, 2021, (Tuesday).
According to the DG of NAFDAC, the council has been working with the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, NPHCDA the last year for the safe arrival of the COVID-19 vaccine.
- Over 60% of the population in Africa require COVID-19 vaccine to achieve herd immunity
- NAFDAC approves AstraZeneca/Oxford vaccine for use in Nigeria
In February 18, 2021, NAFDAC approved the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine for use in Nigeria.
The DG further disclosed that NAFDAC put a gateway for drugs coming from South-East Asia to ensure quality.
The exemption to the arrival of drugs from South East Asia is “to avoid substandard falsified COVID-19 vaccine” into Nigeria.
The NAFDAC said it will track and trace all vaccine to ensure there is no falsification in the supply chain.
Chikwe Ihekwezu, Director General of Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) further explained that fake vaccines are already available around the world, hence the NAFDAC’s concern about those coming from south-East Asia.
The minister went on to say that vaccines not approved by the NAFDAC will be seized by the customs who are on high alert for fake COVID-19 vaccines.
Furthermore, the NAFDAC Is also activating pharmacovigilance to monitor side effects on patients.