Speaking during an interview on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, Minister of Health Osagie Ehanire said that the Federal government had spent at least $29 million to procure the Johnson and Johnson COVID-19 vaccines.
“We have procured Johnson and Johnson, about 40 million doses, at about $29 million. The 40 million doses will come in stages. We have not requested that they be brought in bulk because we are going to be receiving them as we are dispensing them,” Mr Ehanire said.
“In addition to that, we have received doses from partners, friends, and other countries all going through the Covax facility and the Covax facility collates all vaccines that other countries want to give to us.”
Mr Ehanire also use the opportunity to call on countries to join hands to fight the new Omicron variant, saying that it had not been classified as deadly only because there had not been any case of fatality nor severe illness reported.
“Up till now, it cannot be classified as deadly because zero fatalities have been reported. No severe illness has been reported,” the minister explained.
“The United Kingdom has reported about 246, about 86 in the last 24 hours but they have not reported any fatalities or any severe illness.”
Mr Ehanire, however, also expressed unhappiness towards the travel restrictions imposed on Nigerian travellers despite it being applied to contain the spread of the new variant.
Nigerians without UK citizenship or residence permit are currently barred from entering the country.
