The Nigerian government on Saturday raised the alarm that fake COVID-19 vaccines were currently in circulation in Nigeria and in Africa generally.
It stated that about 3,000 of the fake vaccines, which were Africa-bound from China, had been intercepted.
The Director of Hospital Services of the Federal Ministry of Health (FMoH), Dr. Adebimpe Adebiyi, made this known in a letter dated March 26, 2021, to the Chief Medical Directors/Medical Directors of Federal Tertiary Health Institutions.
She said: “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 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 Azikiwe 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 unauthorised institution. Please accept the assurances of my best regards.”
The letter has been dispatched to the Chief Medical Directors and Medical Directors of Federal Tertiary Health Institutions across the country.
