The federal government has not authorised private importation of COVID-19 vaccines, the Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire, has said.

Mr. Enahire stated this during the Presidential Tasks Force briefing on COVID-19 in Abuja.

“Private importation of COVID-19 vaccines has not been authorised due to reports of substandard, falsified vaccines in circulation.

“The deployment of vaccines will be handled by the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) or any of the agency’s accredited facilities for now,” the minister said.

Speaking on the AstraZeneca vaccines’ ongoing concerns, the minister reassured that the vaccines were safe and no adverse effects had been recorded in the country.

“The president, vice president, other leaders, frontline health workers have taken the vaccines and are all doing well,” he said.

The minister also said the National Agency for Food Drugs Administration and Control had developed a health safety app to enable those vaccinated to report any adverse reaction.

“We are working with state commissioners for health to meet the COVID-19 support fund requirements. We assure all states and local governments that the promised support fund for the process would be paid as soon as the formalities were completed.

“I urge all states to use existing resources so that there are no hitches in the exercise before the disbursement,” he added.

Eight thousand jabs have been administered across 34 states and the FCT with the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccines, except Kogi.

Kogi state has yet to establish a fully functional cold chain facility to receive its allocation.

(NAN)