The Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), yesterday, said that the four million doses of the Modena vaccine donated by the U.S. Government would undergo National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control’s (NAFDAC) efficacy test and evaluation before being administered to Nigerians.
According to the organisation, it would take up to 48 hours for the results to be out.
The Federal Government, on Sunday, received the four million and eighty doses (4,000,080) of the jab from the United States.
Speaking while inspecting the ultra-cold chain storage facility in Abuja, NPHCDA’s Executive Director, Dr. Faisal Shuaib, pointed out that the vaccines would assist in stepping up efforts to battle the third wave of the novel coronavirus.
He explained that the donation was part of President Joe Biden’s promise to give 500 million vaccines to the world by the end of 2022.xhttps://d26849abab7aec04c146b67d1ea3f3ef.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-38/html/container.html
Shuaib, who observed that effective cold chain management of any COVID-19 vaccine was key to ensuring the success of the national vaccination programme, stated that Nigeria has storage facilities that could store jabs, adding that the current administration recently acquired additional 60 ultra-cold freezers that would accommodate both the Modena and Pfizer vaccines.
The store, he added, has a combined capacity of 2100 litres and operates at a temperature of -85°C.
Shuaib said: “The Modena vaccine was expected to remain stable at standard refrigerator temperatures of 2° to 8°C (36° to 46°F) for 30 days. Shipping and long-term storage conditions are at standard freezer temperatures of -20°C (-4°F) for six months, while mRNA-1273 is to be distributed using widely available vaccine delivery and storage infrastructure.
“Once the vaccine is removed from the refrigerator for administration, it can be kept at room temperature conditions for up to 12 hours.”
Also speaking, a representative of the American government, Dr. Melissa Freeman, clarified that the donation was part of plans to expand the country’s vaccination rollout campaign.
The vaccines came amid growing concern about vaccination levels in Africa, which lag far behind those of advanced economies.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) Representative, Dr. Anne Baptiste, said the Moderna jab was effective for all variants of concern.
On his part, UNICEF Nigeria Representative, Peter Hawkins, observed that the donation would contribute to the nation’s expanded vaccination programme, which is fast gaining momentum.
He said the life-saving vaccines arrived at a time when the country gears to vaccinate 110 million Nigerians.
The UNICEF official urged their quick usage, as they have a five-month shelf span.
The Modena vaccine, which has been listed for emergency use by WHO, is said to be safe and effective based on data from large-scale clinical trials.
