The National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) says Nigeria hopes to get 42 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine soon.
Executive Director, NPHCDA, Faisal Shuaib, spoke at the Presidential Task Force briefing on COVID-19 on Tuesday in Abuja.
Shuaib said the vaccine would be obtained through the global COVAX scheme.
He noted that the initial dose was part of Nigeria’s plan to safeguard 40 percent of the population in 2021.
“The COVAX scheme was set up to provide vaccines to poorer countries such as Nigeria, whose 200 million people and poor infrastructure pose a daunting challenge to medical officials rolling out the vaccinations,” he said.
Shuaib said Nigeria, which recorded low coronavirus numbers through much of 2020, had 1,204 new cases on Monday, its highest ever in a day.
The official disclosed that Nigeria will first inoculate frontline health workers, first responders, national leaders, people vulnerable to coronavirus, and the elderly.
