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Nigeria has started vaccinating people after receiving its first batch of COVID-19 vaccines. Virologist and principal investigator Dr. Solomon Bakarey offers some ideas on how the country should carry out the implementation plan.
The government has not presented a coherent plan. How troublesome is this?
It’s a big problem and makes Nigerians skeptical about vaccines.
Many countries, including some African neighbors, have launched distribution plans for the vaccines they have purchased. But the Nigerian government has yet to come up with a coherent plan.
In my opinion, this means that the government is not sincere about making sure there is an equitable distribution. The consequence is that people will have doubts about the efficacy of their efforts and the vaccine. Therefore, they may be reluctant to show interest when vaccines become available.
What vaccines have been purchased?
In early March it was announced that Nigeria had received 3.94 million COVID-19 vaccines shipped by the Vaccines Global Access facility – COVAX. These were Oxford / AstraZeneca vaccines made in India. This meant that the country could start its vaccination program.
The government has also announced that it expects 41 million doses through the auspices of the African Union, which is also sourcing them from manufacturers in India. And the country’s regulatory authorities, the National Food and Drug Administration and Control Agency, have approved the use of the vaccines.
Earlier this year, Nigeria did not specify which of the three available COVID-19 vaccines (Pfizer BioNTech, Moderna, or Oxford / AstraZeneca) would be purchased, but said it would budget for all. This was before considering issues such as the suitability of vaccines from a storage point of view.
The Pfizer vaccine, for example, can only be stored under -70 ° C, while the Moderna vaccine can remain stable at refrigerator temperature for about 30 days. The Oxford / AstraZeneca vaccine, due to its different formulation, only needs to be kept under normal refrigeration conditions. This is better for Nigeria given the country’s erratic power supply.
What is the implementation plan?
Nigeria plans to vaccinate 40% of its citizens against COVID-19 before the end of 2021 and 70% by the end of 2022.
The government has not released details of how this will be achieved, although it has been possible to put some elements together. For example, there is an online registration site that also provides details on which groups of people will be prioritized. At the front of the queue are front-line healthcare workers, those who work in high-risk areas such as points of entry and contact tracing teams.
COVID-19 vaccination kits are also included. Others include security personnel, teachers, and the elderly, especially those with comorbidities: cancer, diabetes, asthma, HIV and AIDS, and immunosuppressed patients.
The general population will follow.
What is the role of private companies, if any?
The government clearly cannot do it alone. Any implementation will need to be implemented with the help of a wide range of organizations. Saving the country’s health system from total collapse in the face of COVID-19 requires everyone’s participation.
At the moment, only government agencies can purchase COVID-19 vaccines. The reason for this is that the global supply is low. This makes it imperative for governments to take over until more vaccine manufacturers produce enough for everyone.
But I think it won’t be long before private companies are asked to get involved.
The participation of the private sector is already taking place on other fronts. For example, the government announced that it has secured private sector services for ultra-cold storage facilities to help store and distribute vaccines.
This is not new. Private facilities already contribute significantly to the provision of health services in the country. An example is the involvement of private health institutions in previous federal government immunization programs, such as childhood immunizations against polio and measles.
What lessons can Nigeria learn from other countries?
Nigeria can learn from the vaccination plans of countries such as the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, South Africa, Kenya, and Ghana. It all comes down to staggering vaccine distribution across different groups in society, starting priority lists with the highest-risk population, teachers, and finally the general population.
Nigeria stands to gain a lot by adopting its COVID-19 vaccine strategies to prevent and control the scourge. These include:
- Have a coherent strategy to distribute vaccines considering an equitable distribution.
- Reveal a coherent distribution plan and effective vaccination strategies.
- Educate the public on the exercise schedule.
- Clearly communicate to the public how you intend to reach the end point of the entire vaccinated population.
Is there resistance to available vaccines? Why?
Yes. There is mistrust. This ranges from being skeptical of the government’s ability to deliver a coherent plan and implement the necessary modalities, to the vaccination exercise until success is achieved.
The government has disappointed Nigerians before. It is difficult for ordinary citizens to trust political leaders.
Examples abound. Consider how the government handled measures to offset the effects of the shutdown. His efforts left much to be desired. This added to Nigerians’ doubts about the government’s intentions.
Also, many Nigerians do not know how powerful the newly acquired AstraZeneca vaccine is. Some are also concerned about the speed with which things have been done, from testing to manufacturing.
The government will have to work hard if it wants to win the trust of the people.
He is trying to reduce fears by putting senior officials in line to receive vaccines. For example, Dr. Cyprian Ngong from Abuja National Hospital was the first to get vaccinated. Some hospital health workers have also been vaccinated. Also the president, the vice president and some ministers.
But it will have to do much more to win over skeptical citizens.
