…even as it continues to rise in Nigeria
.. .828 new infections reported weekend
Anthonia Obokoh
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), assuring Nigerians of the efficacy and safety of Covid-19 vaccines says the agency would continue to monitor the exercise as a regulatory agency.
The latest statistics by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) however revealed that the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Nigeria increased to 223,483 with 828 additional cases confirmed on Saturday.
“With the eye of the world acutely focused on vaccine production and distribution, especially for the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic, the issue of safety and efficacy is key to vaccine production; it also requires the involvement of experts, and vaccines are not deployed without the approval of NAFDAC,” said Prof. Christianah Adeyeye, Director-General, NAFDAC, made the assertion at the virtual 11th Annual Symposium of Health Writers Association of Nigeria (HEWAN) on Thursday.
The symposium had the theme: “Building Confidence in COVID-19 Vaccines, and the sub-theme: Addressing COVID-19 Hesitancy -The Role of the Media.
Adeyeye who was represented by Dr Monica Eimunjeze, Director, Drug Registration and Regulatory Affairs, NAFDAC said the agency has regulatory control for vaccines as it monitors and approves, clinical trials, and inspections of the facility, licensing, testing, and post-marketing surveillance so the COVID-19 vaccines are safe.
Eimunjeze, described vaccines as biological preparations produced from living organisms to enhance immunity against diseases adding that vaccines could eradicate diseases as immunization eradicated smallpox, reduced wild polio by more than 99 percent and global vaccine coverage was put at 86 percent.
“Vaccines promote health, have expansive reach, rapid impact, and save lives and costs. Annually, vaccines prevent more than 2.5 million child deaths globally, vaccination is one of the great public health achievements of human history, “she said.
Also speaking, Prof. Akin Oshibogun, former Chief Medical Director of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, said health writers had the responsibility of creating awareness and changing the misconceptions about Covid-19 vaccines.
“We carried out research to look for side effects of the Vaccination across the country. And we have followed them up for about three to four months. I am happy to say that none of them died or was hospitalized.
“The Covid-19 vaccines are safe and the media need to report these facts to reduce vaccination apathy in the country,” he said.
In its recent update on COVID-19 in the country, the NCDC said the 828 new cases were recorded in 14 states in the country.
Rivers State had the highest number of cases with 188 infections confirmed in the state.
“Till date, 223,483 cases have been confirmed, 211,522 cases have been discharged and 2984 deaths have been recorded in 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
“The 828 new cases are reported from 14 States Rivers (188), Lagos (183), Delta (97), FCT (82), Oyo (67), Edo (54), Ekiti (34), Plateau (34), Kano (27), Anambra (22), Kaduna (19), Enugu (12), Ogun (5), and Kwara (4),” NCDC reported on its website.
According to Report by Channels Televisions,the 828 new cases show the surge in the number of cases in the country maintained. On Friday, 1,584 new infections were recorded, the highest cases ever in 10 months.
The Federal Government on Thursday warned Nigerians to take responsibility for their health as COVID-19 cases continued to rise in the country.
The Minister of State for Health, Dr Olorunmimbe Mamora said among other measures, there was the need for Nigerians to take responsibility for their to tackle coronavirus.
Mamora said this as COVID-19 cases continued to increase, with the country recording 5,398 infections between December 6 and 15.
