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By Emmanuel Adeleke
The United States Embassy in Abuja, on Thursday, announced the arrival of 2.5 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine donated by the US government to Nigeria.
According to the Embassy, officials of National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) received the vaccines and ensured that they were taken to cold storage in preparation for distribution to over 3,000 health facilities across all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
The Embassy, who listed the efforts the US government to support the Nigerian government in its mass vaccination campaign, said that it had donated over 13 million doses to Nigeria in partnership with COVAX.
“To date, the United States has donated more than 13.5 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine in partnership with COVAX, or bilaterally to Nigeria. Additionally, the United States has provided more than $119 million in COVID-19 related health assistance.
“This includes a 40-bed mobile field hospital, ventilators and related training for 88 hospitals, personal protective equipment, technical assistance for vaccine readiness, risk communication and demand generation for vaccines, conducting an epidemiological COVID-19 detection and vaccine hesitancy survey, setting up electronic record systems, rapid response teams, training for over 200,000 military and civilian personnel on COVID-19 control measures, and technology for virtual training.
“In addition, the United States leveraged the PEPFAR-supported National Integrated Specimen Referral Network and laboratory investments to support the expansion of the NCDC (153) molecular laboratory network nationwide,” the Embassy said.
The donated vaccines will aid Nigeria’s mass vaccination drive, which the government plans to make available at major markets, shopping malls, event centres, motor parks, airports, places of employment, and religious institutions.