Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire had a briefing with the senate leadership in Abuja on Tuesday December 22, where he disclosed that the federal government needs N400 billion for COVID-19 vaccines.
Ehanire said that the federal government is ready for a COVID-19 vaccine that will save lives, but N400 billion would be required to vaccinate 70 percent of Nigeria’s over 200 million population at $8 per person.
He further said N156 billion will be needed in 2021 while N200 billion will be used for vaccination in 2022. The Minister also said the COVID-19 vaccines will be stored in the same storage facilities (cold chains) used to store the polio vaccines.
Senate President Ahmad Lawan however expressed lack of confidence in the ability of the federal ministry of health to effectively store and distribute the COVID-19 vaccines when they arrive in the country.
He added that the ministry needs to do more as he stated that the national assembly is ready to support funding of the vaccines
Lawan said;
“I have not been convinced with your presentation that we are ready to bring in the vaccines.
“You have to do much more to convince me that we are ready.”