25th August, 2021
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has approved the use of Sinopharm BBIBP-CorV COVID-19 vaccine in the country.
Dr. Faisal Shuaib, the Executive Director of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) made the announcement on Tuesday at the national vaccines briefing in Abuja.
He said that the Sinopharm vaccine was developed by Sinopharm’s Beijing Institute of Biological Products.
The NPHCDA boss noted that the vaccine has completed three trials in Argentina, Bahrain, Egypt, Morocco, Pakistan, Peru and United Arab Emirate with over 60,000 participants.
He said the BBIBP-CorV shares similar technology with CoronaVac, Covaxin, and other inactivated virus vaccines for COVID-19.
Dr Faisal also said that NAFDAC recently gave the nod for its use in Nigeria although the vaccine had received the World Health Organisation certification.
“NAFDAC has approved Sinopharm vaccine, the approval was given three days ago; and yes, Sinopharm vaccine has also received WHO certification, he said.
Dr Faisal said the Sinopharm vaccine has become an option for Nigeria as there are many vaccines for the dreaded Covid-19 virus now.
He however said Nigeria would not use all the available vaccines but selected ones.