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Covid-19: 4m AstraZeneca Vaccines Arrive Nigeria, ‘Morrow
The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr Boss Mustapha, has confirmed that Nigeria would, tomorrow, receive 4million doses of the Oxford AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccines, as the first tranche of the COVAX deliveries hit the nation’s shores.
Mustapha, who is also the chairman, Presidential Task Force on Covid-19, made the disclosure, last Saturday in Abuja, while evaluating the country’s fight against the disease.
“They (vaccines) should depart India on March 1, 2021 in the night and arrive in Abuja on the 2nd of March, 2021,” he said.
Nigeria is set to receive its first four million shipment of Oxford AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccines from COVAX, a global scheme set up to procure and distribute vaccines for free, as the world races to contain the Coronavirus pandemic.
COVAX, which was set up in April, 2020, to help ensure a fairer distribution of Coronavirus vaccines between the rich and poor nations, said it would deliver two billion doses to member-states by the end of 2021.
Nigeria’s four million vaccines would be its first Covid-19 vaccines from the COVAX facility.
The facility promised access to vaccines for up to 20 per cent of participating countries’ population with an initial supply beginning in the first quarter of 2021 to inoculate three per cent of their populations.
The Federal Government had earlier announced that the first 4million doses of the Oxford AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccines would arrive in the country by the end of February.
The SGF disclosed that the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) would be organising the shipment from Mumbai, India, with the World Health Organisation (WHO), both backers of COVAX.
Meanwhile, the PTF chairman praised Nigeria’s health workers and the various frontline workers for working hard to combat the Coronavirus pandemic.
Mustapha, while evaluating the county’s response to Covid-19 in the past year, said the PTF had performed “very well’’ with a very robust national response.
“We have succeeded in discharging our mandate of managing the pandemic with a well-defined process and a robust national response,” he noted.
The SGF said that the strategies evolved by his committee to manage the pandemic had been replicated in some other countries, especially the compulsory Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) testing for travellers.
He explained that the pandemic had helped the country to scale up its health infrastructure, citing the increase in the number of infectious diseases testing laboratories from four to 132 across the country.
The Health Minister, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, last Wednesday, admitted that the country may have to wait till March to receive its first doses of the vaccines.
Ghana received 600,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccines, last Wednesday, making it the first country on the continent to benefit from the COVAX programme.
Cote d’Ivoire, a country with more than 32,000 Covid-19 cases and 188 deaths, also received over 500,000 doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine, last Friday.
It is exactly one year ago, February 27, 2020, that Nigeria detected its first case of the Coronavirus disease (Covid-19), believed to be the first reported case in Sub-Saharan Africa.
With more than 150,000 cases reported since then, the NCDC said Nigeria’s response had been led by science and driven by the power of coordination, collaboration and solidarity among federal and state governments, partners, the private sector and the citizens.
The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen. Waidi Shaibu, has tasked troops of Operation SAVANNAH SHIELD to dominate the battlespace and intensify offensive operations against kidnappers, bandits and other criminal elements in the North Central region.
Shaibu gave the directive yesterday during his maiden operational visit to the Headquarters, Joint Task Force North Central (JTF-NC), at Sobi Barracks, Ilorin.
This is contained in a statement by the Acting Director, Army Public Relations, Col. Appolonia Anele, in Abuja, yesterday.
Shaibu said the Nigerian Army would remain resolute in its constitutional responsibility of safeguarding lives and property, stressing that troops must sustain pressure to decisively deny criminal elements freedom of action.
He assured personnel of continued deployment of combat enablers and operational resources to enhance clearance operations and dismantle criminal hideouts across Kwara and Niger states.
The COAS reaffirmed his commitment to troop welfare, noting that improved welfare remained critical to sustaining morale, operational effectiveness and combat readiness.
He urged the troops to remain disciplined, professional and loyal to the Constitution and the democratically elected government.
Earlier, the Theatre Commander, JTF-NC Operation SAVANNAH SHIELD, Maj.-Gen. Yakubu Yahaya, commended the COAS for his strategic leadership and support.
Yahaya assured that troops would remain committed and steadfast in restoring peace and stability in the region.
The Nigerian Navy says it is expanding training and infrastructure to address emerging security threats and strengthen operational efficiency across formations and units nationwide.
The Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Adm. Idi Abbas, spoke during the inauguration of projects at the Nigerian Navy Basic Training School (NNBTS) in Onne, Rivers as part of activities marking the Nigerian Navy’s 70th anniversary.
Abbas, represented by the Flag Officer Commanding, Naval Training Command (NAVTRAC), Rear Adm. Ebiobowei Zipele, said the projects reflected significant progress made by the navy since its establishment in 1956 from the British Royal Navy.
“Training and infrastructure have improved significantly to meet contemporary security challenges and fulfil the navy’s constitutional responsibilities.”
According to him, the anniversary provides the navy an opportunity to reflect on its achievements and contributions over the past seven decades.
Projects inaugurated included a remodelled female trainees’ hostel accommodating more than 500 occupants and an expanded golf course upgraded from one to nine holes.
Others were the NNBTS fuel dump, Chief Boatswain’s Mate House, renovated pharmacy department and a new theatre block at the Naval Medical Centre, Onne.
Abbas described the new theatre as a major milestone for the navy’s medical services.
“Previously, injured personnel requiring surgeries were referred outside the facility.
“With this theatre, surgeries can now be conducted within the base.’’
He added that a 30KVA inverter had also been installed to guarantee uninterrupted electricity supply at the training school.
The naval chief assured officers, ratings and trainees that the navy leadership remained committed to their welfare and wellbeing.
“These infrastructure upgrades show the commitment of the Chief of Naval Staff to addressing operational and welfare challenges promptly,” he said.
In addition, NAVTRAC distributed educational materials to pupils of Community Primary Schools One and Two, Ogale, in Ebubu-Eleme area of Rivers.
Items distributed included exercise books, school bags and other writing materials as part of the navy’s civil-military engagement initiative.
Zipele said the outreach was designed to strengthen relations between the navy and host communities while supporting children’s education.
“Education remains critical to national growth and youth empowerment. Some of these pupils may eventually serve in the Nigerian Navy,” he said.
He noted that the initiative demonstrated the navy’s commitment to educational development, peace, security and sustainable community relations.
Zipele urged the pupils to remain disciplined, focused and committed to their studies while embracing patriotism, integrity and hard work.
He thanked the Ebubu community for its continued support for the naval training command headquarters and the navy.
