NIGERIAN GOVERNMENT DESTROY EXPIRED COVID-19 VACCINES AMID PANDEMIC SURGE

In spite of the shortage of vaccines in Nigeria, The National Primary Healthcare Development Agency ( NPHCDA) with the National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), on Wednesday destroyed 1, 066, 214 expired AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines.

Speaking during the exercise at the Gosa Dumpsite in Abuja, Executive Director, NPHCDA, Dr. Faisal Shuaib, said the destroyed vaccines were withdrawn before their expiration date.

He said the exercise demonstrates the standards within which the vaccination programme operates in the country.

He said, “The work that we do requires trust. It is a sacred duty that is bestowed on us by the generality of Nigerians. We guide that trust very jealously. That is why we are destroying these vaccines that have expired today.”

Shuaib said the country was aware that the vaccines had short shelf life when they were donated but accepted them because of the unavailability of vaccines, and the need to protect Nigerians from COVID-19.

He said health workers in the country worked round the clock to ensure that most of the vaccines were administered before they expired.

He said, “ A few months ago, when they vaccines were offered to us , we knew they had a short shelf life but we live in an environment where the supply of COVID-19 vaccines were very scarce due to vaccine nationalism.

“There were developed countries that procured these vaccines and hoarded them in their stores , and at the point that they were about to expire, they were offered for donation. 

Nigerians cannot understand how the government will allow such vaccines to expire on shelf instead of rolling it out to the general public. Till date, only a meager 10% have been vaccinated.

Althpugh, the officer stated that; “While we appreciate the donation from these countries, we have to acknowledge the fact that they were almost expired vaccines.

But because we wanted to satisfy and protect Nigerians, we accepted to them , we worked in collaboration with NAFDAC to test and ensure that the vaccines were in good condition and then we rolled them out under difficult circumstances.

But if the government has been prompt in rolling out the vaccines to the general public, it could still meet up with distributions and administrations before it expires.