The National Primary Healthcare Development Agency ( NPHCDA) in collaboration with the National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), on Wednesday destroyed 1, 066, 214 expired AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines.
Speaking during the exercise at the Gosa Dumpsite in Abuja, Executive Director, NPHCDA, Dr. Faisal Shuaib, said the destroyed vaccines were withdrawn before their expiration date.
He said the exercise demonstrates the standards within which the vaccination programme operates in the country.
He said, “The work that we do requires trust. It is a sacred duty that is bestowed on us by the generality of Nigerians. We guide that trust very jealously. That is why we are destroying these vaccines that have expired today.”
Shuaib said the country was aware that the vaccines had short shelf life when they were donated but accepted them because of the unavailability of vaccines, and the need to protect Nigerians from COVID-19.
He said health workers in the country worked round the clock to ensure that most of the vaccines were administered before they expired.
He said, “ A few months ago, when they vaccines were offered to us , we knew they had a short shelf life but we live in an environment where the supply of COVID-19 vaccines were very scarce due to vaccine nationalism.
“There were developed countries that procured these vaccines and hoarded them in their stores , and at the point that they were about to expire, they were offered for donation.