TheCable

The federal government says it has not authorised the sale of any COVID-19 vaccine in the country.

According to a memo seen by TheCable, Adebimpe Adebiyi, director, department of hospital services, ministry of health, said there are indications that fake COVID-19 vaccines reportedly brought from China, are already circulating in Africa.

The memo, dated March 26, is addressed to chief medical directors/medical directors of federal tertiary health institutions.

The ministry noted that the federal government has taken steps to prevent such illegal products from getting into the country, adding that customs has designated Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport, Abuja, as the only point of entry for imported COVID-19 vaccines.

“The ministry is in receipt of a letter from the presidential task force (PTF) on COVID-19 regarding the arrest of about 3,000 doses of fake COVID-19 vaccines which were Africa-bound from China,” the statement reads.

“The report further indicates that the fake COVID-19 vaccines are already in circulation in Africa.

“To prevent the importation of fake vaccines, kindly note that the Nigeria customs service has designated Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport as the only point of entry (PoE) for imported COVID-19 vaccines.

“I am therefore to bring this to your notice and dispel any possibility of COVID-19 vaccines being available for sale or being administered by any unauthorized institution.”

The ministry’s warning comes weeks after the PTF cautioned Nigerians against the purchase of uncertified vaccines.