By Ahmed Rahma
Nigerians do not need to fret over the safety and effectiveness of any COVID-19 vaccine brought into the country by the federal government.
According to the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), no vaccine can be administered on citizens of the country without first being certified safe and effective by the relevant agencies.
The Executive Secretary of NPHCDA, Dr Faisal Shuaib, while speaking at a national sensitisation programme on COVID-19 vaccines for Muslim scholars and Imams in Nigeria in Abuja, said the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), the regulatory agency meant to certify the safe use of the vaccines, would be involved in the process.
“I want to assure you that no vaccine will be brought to Nigeria unless it has been certified safe and effective for use.
“We are working with NAFDAC, the regulatory agency that will certify these vaccines are safe.
“We will rather have no vaccine in Nigeria than to bring a bad vaccine to Nigeria,” the health expert said.
According to the executive secretary, the agency is working with both Muslim and Christian faithful through the processes of receiving and delivering the vaccines to the communities.
“The NSCIA will be with us just like we have our Christian brothers also with us in all conversations around the vaccine,” he said.
The agency, Mr Shuaib said, was working hard to make sure that it effectively communicated on how the vaccine works and why people should take it.
“We also want to listen to the concerns of Nigeria, understand what those concerns are and help them get a better understanding of how the vaccine works,” he said.
Earlier, the Sultan of Sokoto, Mr Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar, who reiterated that COVID-19 was real, urged Nigerians to abide by all the established protocols to avoid contracting the virus.
The Sultan, who is also the President-General of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), urged Muslim scholars and Imams to intensify efforts at educating their followers.
According to him, followers are to be educated on the risk factors associated with COVID-19 and the importance of accepting the vaccine.
The programme, organised by NSCIA, had in attendance the Emir of Keffi, Dr Shehu Yamusa III and the Etsu Nupe, Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar.
The FCT Minister, Mr Muhammad Bello, represented by Dr Mohammed Kawu, acting Secretary, FCT Health and Human Services Secretariat was also present.
