We have no Russian COVID-19 vaccine yet, FMOH announces

Nigeria has not got Russia’s Covid-19 vaccine

The Federal Ministry of Health has said the Russian-made COVID-19 vaccine claimed to be given to the Nigerian Government is at the moment in the custody of the Russian Federation’s Embassy in Nigeria.

In a statement signed by the Director, Information, Media and Public Relations, Olujimi Oyetomi, the vaccine is still with the Russians and not with the Nigerian health authorities.

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He explained that what was handed over was an aide memoir to enable the Nigerian team study and get ready for further researches, patronage and application.

In a bid to correct the impression made earlier, the statement reads, “Following an earlier press release made on Friday, September 4, 2020 on the courtesy visit by the Russian Federation’s Ambassador to Nigeria, H.E. Alexey L. Shebarshin to the Nigeria’s Health Ministers to hand over an aide memoire on the recently announced Russian-made COVID-19 vaccine, the Ministry’s Media and Public Relations Unit wishes to correct the impression that the Russian-made COVID-19 Vaccine has been handed over to the Health authorities in Nigeria.

“The Russian-made COVID-19 vaccine is still in the custody of the Russian Federation’s Embassy in Nigeria.”

It will be recalled that Russia’s Ambassador to Nigeria, Alexey Shebarshin, had on Friday had a meeting with Nigeria’s Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire, when he visited the Ministry of Health in Abuja.

Following the visit, there was a widespread news about Nigeria receiving a COVID-19 vaccine from Russia.

The Russian government announced in August that it has produced a vaccine to cure the novel COVID-19 vaccine adding that it will begin mass vaccinations against the virus in October.