SINCE commencement of the distribution of the AstraZeneca vaccine in Nigeria, out of the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Lagos, Kano and Abuja have received more than 23 per cent of the total 3.92 million available vaccines.
An analysis of the distribution of the vaccines through data gathered by THE ICIR has revealed that the two states and Abuja got the highest number of doses available.
Nigeria had received 3.92 million of the AstraZeneca vaccine last week through the COVAX facility. Lagos state which has the highest number of cases in Nigeria was allocated 507,000 doses of the vaccine while the FCT was allocated 219,800.
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Kano state which has recorded 3,852 cases of the deadly virus was allocated 209,520 doses of the vaccines.
The two states and the FCT have received exactly 936, 320 doses out of the 3.92 million AstraZeneca vaccine received by the country as the remaining 2,983,680 doses of the vaccine is being shared among the other 34 states.
As of the the time of filing this report, Ogun state has received 50,000, Bauchi; 80,570, Benue; 50,000, Borno; 75,510, Ekiti; 52,960, Jigawa; 68,520, Nasarawa; 61,300, Ondo; 75,570, Osun; 64240, Yobe; 65,610.
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States with less COVID-19 cases get more vaccines
Some states with a lesser number of COVID-19 cases were allocated more vaccines than some with a higher number of cases, The ICIR has observed.
Benue state has recorded 1188 number of COVID-19 cases and was allocated 50,000 doses of the vaccine while Yobe with 293 cases got 65,610 doses.
Also, Ogun state which is the 8th state to record the highest number of cases with 4495 confirmed cases was allocated 50,000 doses of the vaccines while Jigawa with 496 COVID-19 cases has received 68,520 doses.
Like other earlier mentioned, Nassarawa state which has recorded 2283 COVID-19 cases got lesser doses compared to Bauchi that received 80,570 with 1420 cases.
When contacted to find out the criteria used for the distribution, Muhammed Ohittoto, the spokesperson for the National Primary Health Care Development Agency said the agency is not ready to answer such questions yet.
According to Ohitoto, the NPHCDA is still working on the statement that would be released to the general public on the distribution to states across the country.
“Until the official statement is released, I can’t speak on it,” Ohitoto told The ICIR.
However, during a State House briefing on vaccines last Thursday, Faisal Shuaib, executive director of the NPHCDA had said states that are yet to meet safety requirements will not get the vaccine.
According to Shuaib, states must be able to prove that they can properly secure the vaccines before they would be allocated to them.
“For example, we have communicated to the states that they have to wrap up their security around their cold stores because these are very valuable vaccines and we do not want a situation where vaccines are taken to the states and criminal elements take advantage to vandalise these cold stores,” the NPHCDA boss stated
Shuaib also said that the availability of cold stores in the states would also be a factor to be considered in the distribution.
Lukman Abolade is an Investigative reporter with The ICIR. Reach out to him via [email protected], on twitter @AboladeLAA and FB @Correction94