The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has received dossiers for Chinese vaccine and three others for evaluation amid the ravaging COVID-19 pandemic in the country.

Ehanire, who addressed reporters in Abuja on Monday during a briefing by the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 identified the COVID-19 vaccines as Sinopharm Vaccine of China, Sputnik V vaccine of Russia, Covishield or Astra Zeneca manufactured under license by Serum Institute of India and Covaxin by Bharat vaccines of India.

“The National Agency For Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has received dossiers for Sputnik V vaccine of Russia, Covishield or Astra Zeneca manufactured under license by Serum Institute of India, Covaxin by Bharat vaccines of India and the Sinopharm Vaccine of China, for evaluation and validation for use in Nigeria. Some of them are nearly ready for results,” he said.

“It is important to stress that all covid19 vaccines carry a certain amount of risk and any vaccines not approved by the Federal Ministry of Health through its Agencies cannot be used in Nigeria.

“The government will not be responsible for the safety or efficacy of vaccines given outside the framework of the Government. All the needs of Nigeria have been carefully calculated by NPHCDA and it is possible to accommodate all interests in the framework.”

The Minister also announced the donation of 100,000 AstraZeneca or covishield vaccine doses by the Indian government.