The Nigerian government says scientists in the country have developed two COVID-19 vaccines.
Authorities say they are working on speeding up the process to conclude clinical trials and certification soon.
The head of Nigeria’s Task Force on COVID-19, Boss Mustapha, says clinical trials for the vaccines have started. Few details are being provided on where the vaccines have been developed or the clinical trials are taking place. Mustapha has also directed all relevant government agencies to provide the necessary support to conclude work on the clinical trials and certification process soonest.
Nigeria received 3.92 million doses of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine earlier this month:
It has started giving the jabs to government officials, health workers and other frontline workers.
The government plans to vaccinate as much as 40% of its population against the coronavirus in 2021.
South Sudan receives vaccine
Meanwhile South Sudan, one of the countries with the least developed health infrastructures in the world, according to the World Health Organisation, has begun receiving COVID-19 vaccine from the COVAX facility.
It has become the fourth country in the East African Region to receive the vaccines after Rwanda, Kenya and Uganda.
South Sudan received 132 000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine:
The health ministry says this is the first of several vaccine shipments scheduled to arrive over the coming six months through the support of the COVAX facility.
Minister of Health in South Sudan, Elizabeth Acuei, says South Sudan is currently under a partial lockdown.
“The COVID-19 vaccine will help us to protect our population against COVID-19 infection and prepare for a return for a normal life.”
Reports from the health ministry show a surge in the number of people infected by the virus.
“The government says the first vaccine jabs would go to frontline health workers. About 200 health workers have been infected by the coronavirus in a country where there are very few medical personnel,” says Acuei.
The World Health Organisation and South Sudan’s Health Ministry say there are a total of 189 physicians for the 12 million South Sudanese people.
That number translates to one doctor for every 39 088 persons. A surge in cases of COVID-19 could easily overwhelm the health sector.
The United Nations says it will continue to support South Sudan in fighting the pandemic.
UNICEF Country Representative in South Sudan, Hamida Lasseko, says: “While still we do not have the cure but at least we have the vaccine which continues to be the safest, easiest and most cost effective way of fighting life threatening disease of COVID-19. ”
The government has only one testing center and the country also has only one treatment centre in the capital Juba, for those infected by the coronavirus.
