The Presidential Taskforce (PTF) on COVID-19, Wednesday disclosed that Nigerians would be given free jab of the vaccine for the deadly coronavirus when vaccination begins in Nigeria.
National Coordinator of PTF, Sani Aliyu made the disclosure in Abuja during an interview on Channels Television’s breakfast programme, Sunrise Daily.
According to the coordinator, President Muhammadu Buhari has given the PTF the mandate to proceed with preparations with regard to the vaccine.
“The President has also given us a marching order that the COVID-19 vaccine be made available in Nigeria,” he stated.
According to him, the vaccine will be available in the country making use of the GAVI arrangement.
“We already have the assurance that we will have 20% of our population accommodated by Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation (GAVI), which is about 40 million Nigerians. They won’t need to pay for that (the vaccine),” the PTF coordinator said.
The coordinator, however, noted that vaccination is not the major challenge but acceptance.
“The biggest challenge we will have with the vaccine is not going to be the logistics, the biggest challenge will be the public acceptance of the safety of the vaccines and allowing themselves to be vaccinated. The challenge will be very similar to the one we have with polio,” he added.