Tobias Sylvester
The Nigerian Government on Friday said it has received samples of Russia’s COVID-19 vaccine named ‘Sputnik V’.
Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire received the samples from the Russia Ambassador to Nigeria, Alexey Shebarshin, during a visit to the ministry in Abuja, on Friday, September 4, 2020.
The ministry’s Director of Information, Media, and Public Relations, Olujimi Oyetomi disclosed this in a statement on Friday.
“Russian Federation Ambassador to Nigeria, H.E. Alexey L. Shebarshin on courtesy visit to Nigeria’s Health Ministers, Russian-made COVID-19 Vaccine finally here,” it said.
Ehanire said the vaccine would be “quickly referred” to the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control as well as the Nigeria Institute of Pharmaceutical Research and Development, amongst other agencies, for review and possible validation.
The need for a vaccine has become more urgent globally and nationally with Nigeria recording over 50,000 COVID-19 infections and over 1,000 associated fatalities, according to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control.
The statement quoted the Russian envoy saying he was at the Health Ministry “to formally hand over the Russian-made Vaccine against COVID-19 to Nigeria with an aide memoir which explains the details for Nigerian teams to study and get ready for further researches, patronage and application.”
“Nigeria has been participating in series of knowledge exchange and contacts with different research bodies and countries to find solutions to the COVID-19 challenge and had contacted the Embassy of the Russian Federation in Nigeria for right of access immediately the Russian COVID-19 Vaccine was announced.”
“The consensus of decision reached was to quickly refer the vaccine to the necessary professional institutes and agencies of the Federal Ministry of Health beginning with NAFDAC, NIPRD, and for a team of scientists and advisors to the ministry to get to work on possible patronage of the Russian vaccine to alleviate the plight of Nigerians amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
“A Ministerial Team is also expected to be raised to continue further engagement with the Embassy of the Russian Federation in Nigeria on the vaccine as well as other areas of interests highlighted at the meeting,” the statement concluded.
KanyiDaily recalls that 3 weeks ago, Russian President, Vladimir Putin announced the approval of ‘Sputnik V’ Covid-19 vaccine for widespread use, revealing that a dose was administered to one of his own daughters.
