COVID-19: FG receives two million doses of Johnson & Johnson vaccine

The Federal Government has received a donation of two million doses of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine from the European Union.

The vaccine was formally handed over to Nigeria at the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), National Strategic Cold Store, Abuja, on Monday.

The EU ambassador, Samuela Isopi, presenting the vaccine to the Executive Director, NPHCDA, Dr Faisal Shuaib, explained that the donation was part of the EU’s commitment to jointly combat the pandemic.

Speaking, Shuaib said the Federal Government had also procured over 39 million doses of the J&J vaccine, through AFREXIM bank.

According to Shuaib, only about 12 million doses of the single-shot vaccine are currently in the cold store.

The Federal Government in August 2021 took delivery of 177,600 Johnson & Johnson vaccines in Abuja. This marked the first wave of arrivals of COVID-19 vaccines procured through the African Union.

In September 2021, additional 1,123,200 doses of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine were received. NPHCD said the shipments were received as part of the 39,800,000 doses procured by the Federal Government.

Shuaib said the single-shot J&J vaccine was received through the African Vaccine Acquisition Team (AVAT) of the African Union, a facility provided by AFREXIMBANK.