The Executive Director of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, NPHCDA), Dr. Faisal Shuaib has disclosed that a total of 8,491 Nigerians have so far adversely reacted to AstraZeneca vaccine.
Disclosing this in Abuja on Friday, he said that Nigeria also recorded 52 cases of moderate to severe incidents of Adverse Effects Following Immunisation (AEFI), presented as fever, vomiting, diarrhoea headaches, dizziness and allergic reactions.
According to him, there were 8,439 mild AEFI reported, ranging from swelling at the site of the inoculation, body pains and nausea.
Shuaib mentioned five states with highest recorded AEFI to include Kaduna (970), Cross River (859), Yobe (541), Kebbi (511), and Lagos (448).
“When incidents, no matter how rare, appear in populations receiving the vaccine, relevant authorities must investigate to determine whether there may be a connection between the medical incident and the vaccine.
“Nevertheless, we are working with NAFDAC, NCDC and other relevant agencies to set up a more active surveillance system built on our experience with polio surveillance.
“We have said from the start and I’ll say it again: we will only administer vaccines to Nigerians that are both safe and effective against COVID-19. We will continue to follow international best practice and the advice of the World Health Organisation (WHO) and other leading international regulatory bodies throughout this process,” he said.
