COVID-19: FG to destroy over a million doses of expired AstraZeneca vaccines

Following the expiration of over one million doses of COVID-19 vaccine still in the store, the Federal Government has announced that the vaccines will be destroyed publicly by the National Agency for Food Drugs and Administration Control (NAFDAC) in line with environmental protocol.

It says it will no longer accept vaccines with short shelf life, adding that it mounts undue pressure on health workers to administer them. 

Persecondnews recalls that the Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, had on December 8, confirmed the report of the expired doses of vaccines supplied to the country of about one million.

Disclosing this on Monday at a media briefing by the Presidential Steering Committee on COVID-19, the Executive Director/CEO of National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHCDA), Dr Faisal Shuiab, said the decision to destroy the vaccines publicly is to assure Nigerians that there is no intention to use them.

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Meanwhile, the federal government has clarified its statement on banning travelers from the United Kingdom (UK), United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Canada,

after the countries banned flights from Nigeria as a result of the COVID-19 Omicron variant cases discovered in the country.

The Minister of Aviation, Sen. Hadi Sirika, was earlier quoted as saying the federal government was going to retaliate the ban.

“The PSC is working with mandate ministries to address the issues surrounding the restriction imposed by some countries on travelers from Nigeria on account of the omicron variant.

“While each country is entitled to put in place measures to protect its citizens. Nigeria has similar responsibilities.

“However, based on existing relationships, Nigeria has initiated diplomatic steps to make these countries reverse their course. 

“This is on-going in the interest of all parties concerned and we expect that positive results would emerge within the next one week.

“The PSC also evaluated the developments on the relationship between Nigeria and the UAE and we are pleased to inform you that the position of the federal government is in line with established ICAO protocols and the spirit of the BASA signed with the UAE.

“The PSC will at its next regular briefing on Monday, December 20, 2021 brief you fully on developments,” Sirika said.