Peter Obi, previous legislative head of Anambra state, says Nigeria needs just about N150 billion to obtain COVID-19 immunizations.
Osagie Ehanire, priest of wellbeing, said in December 2020 that the national government needs about N400 billion for COVID-19 immunizations.
As per Ehanire, about the entirety would be needed to inoculate 70% of Nigeria’s more than 200 million populace, at $8 per individual.
Remarking on the issue when he highlighted on ARISE Television on Tuesday, Obi said there are issues of straightforwardness with respect to the obtainment of antibodies.
The ex-lead representative said Nigeria would not have expected to spend such a great amount in obtaining immunizations if its National Vaccine Production Facility was operational.
“The issue of immunization is one that I feel a feeling of agony. Nigeria as a country in 1940 set up what we called National Vaccine Production Facility domiciled in Yaba, and that had the option to create for all intents and purposes all the immunizations we utilized in the times of smallpox, yellow fever, and that office was closed down in 1991 to be restored and redesigned, there was nothing amiss with it,” Obi said.
“Furthermore, till today that has been the case intentionally so that individuals can import immunizations and offer to the public authority.
“Presently I hear that we are searching for N400bn, well I am at misfortune, our spending this year for wellbeing is N547bn. I couldn’t say whether they will take this antibody obtainment from it, since, in such a case that they do, we are left with N147bn.
“For the antibody acquisition likewise, we need to have straightforwardness in the acquirement. Today, antibody in India costs between $2 25 pennies to $3. That is a normal of $2.75 and in the event that you say you will utilize N400 billion that is about $1bn. In the event that you partition $1bn by $2.75cents every, that is around 350 million portions which is far in abundance of what we need.
“WHO said on the off chance that you can infuse 70% of your populace, that is it. 70% of Nigeria is around 140 million so we are really searching for 140 million portions. Taking into account that some others will give us some free, we really needn’t bother with in excess of 120 million. Yet, regardless of whether we’re purchasing 140 million, we simply need around 300 and eighty-something million dollars which is about N150bn to get it.
“In the event that they have a N400bn financial plan to purchase the antibody, my recommendation, they don’t have to grant contracts in this immunization, let them simply call Serum establishment in India and beg them. I’m certain they will even give us markdown. In the event that they need I can go for the exchange. It won’t cost more than $2 each.”
On Monday, Enahire said the government is expecting 15 million dosages of COVID-19 antibody in February.