Nigeria: Falana raises alarm over planned commercialisation of Covid vaccines

The Alliance for Survival of COVID-19 and Beyond, a coalition of labour and civil society groups being led by a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, has urged Nigerians to resist any attempt by health workers to commercialise Covid vaccines expected in the country anytime soon.

ASCAB Deputy Chairman, Sina Odugbemi, stated this on Tuesday while featuring on Channels Television’s Politics Today programme monitored by The PUNCH.

Odugbemi said, “When it (vaccine) comes in, people may want to trade with it and there may be preference for the high and mighty. We should anticipate these things and put in place machinery to ensure that we scale the hurdle because the Nigerian factor will come into play when the vaccines come in.

“There will be special preference. In fact, health officers like we have witnessed may want to find a way of commercialising one thing or the other. But then, once this monster stirs its head, it is the duty of all of us – civil societies, religious organisations and individuals – to ensure that we turn ourselves to self-monitoring groups. All hands must be on the deck.”

The PUNCH had earlier reported that the Federal Government said the first batch of Covid vaccines would arrive in the country between the end of January and February 2021, adding that the vaccines to be used in the country would be safe and effective.