Federal government says N122 billion was spent to procure 29 million doses of the single-shot Johnson & Johnson Covid-19 vaccine.

Faisal Shuaib, executive director of National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), stated this on Thursday when the federal government took delivery of the first batch of 177,600 doses of the Johnson & Johnson Covid-19 vaccine.

Procurement of the doses was done through African Vaccine Acquisition Team (AVAT) of the African Union Commission, through a facility provided by the AFREXIMBANK.

Shuaib said procurement of the 29 million doses, which cost $298.5 million (over N122 billion), is to enable the country vaccinate 70 percent of the population.

He added that rollout schedule for the 177,600 doses of Johnson and Johnson vaccines will begin on Monday, pending the delivery of the remaining doses.

The development comes less than a week after Nigeria received 4.08 million doses of the Moderna Covid-19 vaccine from the United States.

According to Shuaib, the J&J doses will be administered to those who are in hard-to-reach areas.

“The balance of the vaccine will subsequently be delivered in monthly tranches,” he said.

“This batch of J&J vaccine will be focused on those who are in the hard-to-reach areas, riverine areas, desert areas, security-compromised areas, the elderly and frail individuals, across the country. 

“This is because the J&J vaccine is administered as a single-dose vaccine, unlike the AstraZeneca and Moderna that require two doses for complete vaccination.”

The Cable