The Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire has said Nigeria may recieve the first batch of the much-awaited COVID-19 vaccines in 10 days time.
He disclosed that the Federal government has ordered for the establishment of a full medical oxygen plant in each state of the federation as part of efforts to ensure oxygen sufficiency in the country.
Ehanire who spoke during a tour of facilities at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, LUTH, said vaccine availability in the country will depend on when they are able to receive them.
The Minister who said the ministry was being bombarded with questions on when the country would commence vaccination of Nigerians explained that the government was working very diligently to get the vaccines.
Giving reasons why Nigeria was yet to receive the vaccines, he said: “Most of the countries where these vaccines are being manufactured are having very serious challenges with COVID-19, and a very rough time.
“So, the question of when you get a vaccine depends on when the manufacturer can give you the vaccine.”
Speaking on COVAX facility, he said the government is still waiting for the vaccines to be supplied and have been told that the will be supplied by the end of the month, which is about 10 days time.
“But, That is, as a matter of hope. I myself I put my mind on the fact that if it may not be now but by March. But it doesn’t lie in our hands it is when the vaccine is given to them. We are ready to receive it even this evening or tomorrow. We are ready. We are prepared, we have all the things that we need to prepare ourselves.”
“Again, these countries are not giving the vaccines because they have to satisfy the needs of those countries that have paid big money before now.
On medical oxygen, the Minister who disclosed that the government plans to build oxygen plant in each of the states of the federation said the government would also be upgrading oxygen plants at LUTH to meet the hospital’s requirement as well as other neighbouring hospitals.
“The oxygen agenda has turned out to be something extremely important in managing COVID-19. In the beginning, we thought we could use ventilators, we got hundreds or even 1000s of ventilators when we find out that that’s not really what we needed. It is oxygen.
“Now, we are scrambling to quickly make do with oxygen and ensure oxygen sufficiency all over the country. The federal government has ordered one oxygen plant for every state.
