The National Primary Health Care Development Agency in charge of Nigeria’s COVID-19 vaccination program says that it would continue to administer roughly four million doses of Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccines to Nigerians.

The clarification comes amidst fears that jabs from AstraZeneca could result in adverse side effects as being reported in other countries. 

On Saturday, the United Kingdom Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory agencies confirmed to BBC News that seven people died in the UK after taking jabs of AstraZeneca. The agency, however, assured UK citizens that the benefits of the vaccine outweighs the complications from Coronavirus infection.

NPHCDA in a press statement on Saturday said AstraZeneca vaccines is 79 per cent effective at preventing COVID-19 and 100 per cent effective at preventing severe disease and hospitalisation. 

Mohammad Ohitoto, spokesperson for the agency, said some countries are still administering doses of AstraZeneca vaccines including the UK. He added that the World Health Organisation, British and European health regulators continue to advocate for the use of AstraZeneca.

Mr Ohitoto explained that Nigeria’s health authorities rely on pronouncement from European Medicine Agency, that according to scientific knowledge, there is no evidence to support restricting the use of the vaccine in any population.

He noted that NPHCDA prioritises the health and safety of Nigerians and the decision made by the agency to continue administering AstraZeneca vaccine are guided by best practice and scientific evidence.

Following the decision of some countries in Europe and Asia to suspend the use of Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccines, a few countries in Africa have banned the use of the vaccine among its populace. Still, the vaccine is in use in some countries due to its cheaper cost and more suitable requirements for storage and distribution in developing countries.

Over four million cases of COVID-19 have been reported in Africa. 
Twenty-five countries have received 14.5 million doses of AstraZeneca delivered to the continent. 

Some countries like Morocco, South Africa and the Democratic Republic of Congo have suspended the use of the vaccine, basing their decision on the report of rare blood coagulation disorder in people who have received the vaccine and ineffectiveness of the vaccine against some COVID-19 variants.