Nigeria’s Health Minister, Dr Osagie Ehanire, has said that the Federal Government needs about N400 billion to vaccinate 70% of the country’s population.
Dr Ehanire made the disclosure on Monday in Abuja, while briefing the Senate leadership on plans of the Federal Government to procure COVID-19 vaccines for the citizens.
The minister stated that the Buhari government is ready to a significant extent to kick off COVID-19 vaccination to save the lives of the people.
Dr Ehanire said: “About N400 billion would be required to vaccinate 70 per cent of Nigeria’s 211 million population at $8 per person. N156 billion will be needed in 2021, while N200 billion in 2022.”
President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, however, expressed doubt over the ability of the Ministry of Health to effectively store and distribute the COVID-19 vaccines, when they arrive in the country.
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.”
Dr Osagie Ehanire told the Senate that the ministry would use the same storage facilities used for Polio vaccines to store the COVID-19 vaccines.
