NAFDAC warns Nigerians not to take unapproved Covid-19 vaccine

Chinazor Megbolu. |.

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), has advised against use of Covid-19 vaccine before the agency’s approval.

The Director-General, NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, at the weekend gave the warning that Nigerians should not take the Covid-19 vaccines without the approval of the agency.

Adeyeye, during a press briefing noted that NAFDAC has not approved any vaccine as well as that the agency is yet to receive any application from Covid-19 vaccine manufacturers to that effect.

She hinted that no vaccine or goods of any sort can be used in Nigeria without the NAFDAC approval.

Adeyeye further buttressed that the World Health Organisation (WHO) is not a regulatory agency but only saddled with guidance to agencies; hence the reason why regulatory organisations need to certify or approve potential vaccines for public consumption.

She, however, averred that the right thing to do is for government agencies to certify if the vaccines has been approved by NAFDAC before going ahead to procure them.

According to her; “the WHO will say that unless the regulatory agency of a country approves a vaccine, it should not be used. WHO is not a regulatory agency that will approve and say use, they are there to guide and give regulatory agencies more confidence.

“If a product is already on WHO emergency use listing, the regulatory agency will still look at the application. That doesn’t mean we just pass it like that, we will have to read it within the context of our environment.

“No vaccine or commodity can be used unless it passes through NAFDAC in Nigeria. Vaccines should not be ordered by any company or corporation.

“The companies that manufacture the vaccines if they are genuine companies know they have to submit their application to NAFDAC.

“No government establishment or agencies should order Covid-19 vaccines without confirming from NAFDAC if the vaccine has been approved.

“Covid-19 vaccines are new, and the side effects or adverse events must be well monitored, therefore, if NAFDAC does not approve, the public should not use”.

Adeyeye maintained that the agency is already in talks with producers of Covid-19 vaccines concerning potential emergency use authorisation, registration or licensing of their product.

She said: ”the agency assures applicants that if phase three clinical data are very convincing and robust with regards to safety and efficacy and the vaccine has been submitted for WHO for Emergency Use Listing.

“NAFDAC will welcome the application for emergency use authorisation in Nigeria.

Recall the federal government had said it was expecting the delivery of 20 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines to the country early 2021