Senate Deliberates On Procurement Of COVID-19 Vaccines
The Senate has expressed displeasure over what it described as Federal Government’s failure to produce a plan for the procurement of COVID-19 vaccines for Nigerians as it urged the government to make sufficient funds available for the purchase of the vaccines.
It was gathered that the Senate directed its Committee on Health and Primary Health Care to summon the Ministries of Health and Finance, as well as the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 and other relevant agencies for their plans.
The decision to summon the relevant agencies follows a motion sponsored by Senator Oloriegbe Ibrahim during Thursday’s plenary.
Meanwhile, the upper chamber lamented that the only plan on COVID-19 vaccine for Nigeria is the pledge by Global Alliance for Vaccine Initiative (GAVI) to support 20 per cent of the country’s requirement.
According to the Senate, the GAVI would cover only the cost of the treatment without taking care of logistics for distribution and administration.