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By Henry Uche
The National Agency For Food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) said it has approved the use of Pfizer COVID vaccine in Nigeria as the World Health Organization (WHO) has given a nod for its usage.
NAFDAC’s approval is coming a few months after it gave a thumbs up for the use of the Oxford-Astrazeneca jabs.
Director-general of NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, noted that the approval was only for an “emergency Use Authorization,” while a review of the vaccine is possible pending information gathering from usage.
According to her, NAFDAC’s COVID-19 committee is working relentlessly to ensure that every step neccssary to secure the safety of Nigerians is given top priority and it would not retire until Nigerians are secured.
She encouraged Nigerians to make use of the NAFDAC’s Med Safety App, which is downloadable from smart phones and other devices, and explore its inherent benefits as it is user-friendly.
“Nigerians should not be afraid. NAFDAC is working in the interest of every Nigerian. Our COVID-19 committee is working tirelessly. So, we have the capability to monitor and manage the trend, from importation to administration of the vaccines. The good thing is that it can be stored from 15 degrees to 25 degrees freezer equivalent temperature.”
She added that NAFDAC belongs to an organization called International Coalition of Medicine Regulatory Authorities, (ICMRA), a global gathering of regulatory agencies across the world. She maintained that “data and information gathering is not limited to NAFDAC alone. NAFDAC is working in synergy with relevant international organizations for data gathering and information sharing for better planning and decisions making.”
