BY BANYO TEMITAYO
PRIVATE sector-led Coalition Against COVID-19 (CACOVID) has distanced itself from a statement by the BUA Group, saying that the company has purchased one million doses of COVID-19 vaccines for Nigeria.
BUA, in a statement on Monday, said it had paid for one million doses of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines for Nigeria, through the AFREXIM Vaccine programme in partnership with CACOVID.
The statement titled, “BUA purchases 1million doses of AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccines for Nigeria to be delivered next week”, said the vaccines would be delivered free to Nigerians.
“These doses of the vaccine which should be delivered by next week, will be the first delivery of Vaccines to Nigeria since the COVID-19 vaccines became available,” the statement said.
But the CACOVID operations committee, in a statement titled, “CACOVID disowns BUA’s Contribution of COVID Vaccine”, issued shortly after BUA’s release, said the purchase of the vaccine could not be done by individuals or companies directly from any legitimate and recognised manufacturer, but only through the Federal Government.
CACOVID argued that the agreement was that $100 million would be contributed for the purchase of one million doses, in order to ensure that Nigeria meets up with the February 8 deadline for the down payment on the first tranche.
The statement read, “CACOVID is dismayed to learn of reports on social media today alleging that BUA is singlehandedly purchasing 1 million Covid-19 vaccine doses for Nigeria. Alhaji Abdulsamad must have been misquoted because these claims are not factual as CACOVID operates on a collegiate fund contribution model. There is no agreement between BUA, CACOVID and Afreximbank.
“During the CACOVID weekly call of February 8th, Governor Emefiele, relayed to the larger group a call that he held with Alhaji Aliko Dangote and Herbert Wigwe with Afreximbank President, Benedict Oramah, on Sunday Feb 7th. President Oramah briefed the 3 CACOVID leaders on the $2 billion facility the Bank has set up with the African Union Vaccine taskforce to purchase vaccines for the African Continent.
“The allocation for Nigeria has been capped at 42 million doses. President Oramah explained that 1 million doses were ready for shipment to Nigeria in the next 2 weeks if a down payment was made by today, February 8th.
“At today’s meeting, CACOVID leadership agreed to contribute $100 million to procure vaccines for Nigeria, these 1 million doses from Afreximbank worth $3.45 million, being the very first tranche. CACOVID will purchase vaccines through other credible and subsidised mechanisms such as COVAX.
“The vaccines will be delivered to Nigeria and distributed through the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHCDA).
“CACOVID would like the Nigerian public to understand that vaccine purchase is only possible through the Federal Government of Nigeria, and that no individual or company can purchase vaccines directly from any legitimate and recognised manufacturer.”
