FG To Procure 29.5 Million Doses Of Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 Vaccine
The Federal government has said it will procure 29.588 million doses of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine.
Glamtush reports that the Minister of Finance, Budget, and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed, has said that the supplementary budget being prepared by her ministry will cover the cost of procuring and delivering 29.588 million doses of Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine.
According to a statement on Friday by her Special Adviser, Media and Communications, Yunusa Abdullahi, the minister disclosed this at the 18th Collaborative Africa Budget Reform Initiative webinar.
The statement was titled ‘FG committed to procuring 29.588 million doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
“The supplementary budget for COVID-19 vaccines will cover the cost of additional vaccines over and above those provided by COVAX, as well as the full cost of operations and logistics for delivering the vaccines around the country,” the minister reportedly said.
She added that N29.1bn has already been released as an advance for the operational cost of deployment of the vaccines.
“Already, the sum of N29.1bn has been released from the routine immunization budgetary provision (Service Wide Vote) to the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency as an advance for the operational cost of deployment of the COVID-19 vaccines.
“The N29.1bn represents about 52 percent of the amount required over 2021-22,” she added.
She added that the Ministry of Health plans to vaccinate 70 percent of eligible (18 years and above) Nigerians over the 2021 and 2022 fiscal years.
Ahmed also said that the World Bank has indicated willingness to provide needed facilities in support of Nigeria’s COVID-19 vaccination plan.
