Senate asks FG to buy COVID-19 vaccine for Nigerians

…but experts say Nigeria may not afford it without help

The Senate on Thursday asked the Federal Government to make funds available for the procurement and administration of Covid-19 vaccine in Nigeria.

The upper chamber reached the resolution after adopting a motion by Ibrahim Oloriegbe (APC, Kwara Central), titled “Urgent need for Nigeria to obtain and administer Covid-19 vaccine to its citizens”.

Oloriegbe, who is the chairman of the Senate committee on health, urged the Senate to note that some countries had approved vaccines for Covid-19 and were administering the vaccine to their citizens.

He stated that many other countries had completed plans on the procurement, distribution and administration of the vaccines to their citizens.

He expressed worry that Nigeria had not produced a plan for the procurement, distribution and administration of the vaccine to Nigerians.

According to him, the only plan on Covid-19 vaccine for Nigeria is the pledge by Global Alliance for Vaccine Initiative (GAVI) to support 20 percent of the country’s vaccine requirement.

The call is coming at a time Africa’s most populous nation is in dire fiscal straits due to low oil prices, and experts say the country may not be able to afford the vaccine unless help comes from international non-governmental organisations (NGOS) and multilateral agencies.

Currently, two Covid-19 vaccine candidates have proven high efficacy for use. However, only Pfizer and Biontech’s vaccine has been approved for use.

Businessday calculation, from interaction with experts, shows Nigeria could need about 400 million doses of Pfizer and Biontech’s Covid-19 vaccines, which might cost the nation up to $15.6 billion.

In July 2020, Pfizer agreed to sell its vaccine to the US government at $39 for a twodose immunisation or $19.5 per dose. Experts say a Nigerian may need at least a twodose immunisation, which could rally the cost to $15.6 billion. This is 45 percent of the country’s N13.083 trillion 2021 budget, meaning that certain projects could be set aside to vaccinate all Nigerians.

Some experts suggest, however, that it could cost up to $145 for a two-dose immunisation due to logistics cost to Nigeria, meaning that the country could spend up to $58 billion to vaccinate over 200 million population.

“If you are looking for an estimate of numbers of doses we need, you are looking for the impossible. For a vaccine with 100 percent efficacy and lifelong immunity, you require covering 60- 72 percent of your population. Therefore, with this assumption, you will need to vaccinate between 120 and 150 million Nigerians out of our 206 million to achieve desired herd immunity,” Oyewale Tomori, professor of virology and former vice-chancellor of Redeemer’s University, told Businessday earlier.

“Since we need two doses per person, we are looking at between 240 and 300 million doses. However, with the Pfizer’s Covid-19 vaccine of estimated 90 percent efficacy, and no information on the duration of immunity, we can estimate between 300 million and 400 million, accounting for wastage, poor cold chain facilities, logistics and other associated issues. Then you have another problem, if the immunity does not last, then it may be annual vaccination,” he explained.

He noted that the calculations would also be limited by inaccurate population figures and the fact that many Nigerians might come back for the second dose.

The Senate also directed its committees on health and primary health care to invite the Presidential Task Force on Covid-19, the federal ministry of health and Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) to present details of plan approval, protocol, funding, procurement, administration and monitoring of Covid-19 vaccine in Nigeria.

Others to be invited are the heads of National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), National Agency for Food and Drugs Control (NAFDAC), the Ministry of Finance, and any other relevant government agency.

The Senate directed the committees on health and primary healthcare to report back to it in two weeks.