COVID- 19 Vaccination: Cases Of Side Effects Aiding Skepticism

• Bottlenecks As States Begin Vaccination • Medical Guild Decries Vaccine Nationalism By West

AFTER several months of waiting, Nigeria eventually began nationwide COVID-19 vaccination last week Friday, in Abuja. But despite the excitement that greeted the occasion, there are several concerns and unanswered questions over the vaccination.

Besides, accessing COVID19 vaccines has become an issue, especially with Western countries trying to ‘own’ them.

Also, it has been alleged that the West wants to ‘fleece’ developing nations, particularly African countries of their foreign reserves domiciled in Europe through the vaccines, coupled with the politics involved in accessing the vaccines, as the West buys up more than they need, leaving other countries struggling to access them.

But just as the exercise spread to states across the country, the issue of safety of the vaccine has reared its head again. Before now, many Nigerians, including Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello, were skeptical of the efficacy and real intent of the vaccination and had refused to take the jab.

A European Medicines Agency (EMA) statement on Thursday that about 30 cases of the side effects were reported among five million Europeans that had been vaccinated reinforced that belief. Although no African country has reported any side effect of the Astrazeneca vaccine, though South Africa recently stopped its use, this has further heightened anxiety among the populace as the vaccination exercise soon spreads to the grassroots.

The batch of the vaccine delivered to 17 European countries traceable to the few cases of blood clot is reported to be ABV5300, which the federal government assured was not the same delivered to Nigeria.

While some countries have stopped its administration, others suspended its use. Among countries that have placed total suspension of its use are Denmark, Iceland and Norway, while Italy; Austria; Estonia; Latvia; Lithuania and Luxemburg have suspended the use of the particular batch, just as Thailand, which had not begun its administration, suspended its use.

Joint pioneer of In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) and Medical Director, Medical Art Centre (MART) in Maryland, Lagos, Prof. Oladapo Ashiru, said: “This is the problem we have in Nigeria. In most countries, the medical science is driving the initiative, but in Nigeria, the strategy, coordination and cooperation is lacking.

“There are some side effects, but we need to do a critical evaluation to determine the best solution regarding the vaccination. In most countries, it is easier for the public to take the vaccine once the medical science experts give a go ahead.

“That is why the Academy of Medicine Specialties has assembled a team of experts to assess and advice government on the way forward. It wants to take a lead in advising the public on the way forward in the current pandemic. “Like other national academies of medicine, we need to launch a rapid-response initiative committee of the academy to explore the current state of the art and provide recommendations to improve the country-wide strategy for preparedness, border control in cases of new pandemics, regulatory approval, distribution of vaccines and post-approval surveillance for adverse events.

“The expert committee would head this rapid initiative group and would give advice to the Academy regularly to be published and given to government and in newsletter to the Academy and the Public. The group is expected to be active immediately.”

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