Mobile Telephone Network (MTN) has donated 1.4 million AstraZeneca vaccines against the dreaded Coronavirus to Nigeria.
This was revealed on Monday by the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 during its daily briefing in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory.
Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, disclosed that the first part of the 1.4 million doses would be delivered by the end of February, while the remaining part would be delivered by the end of March 2021.
Ehanire said: “The Ministry of Health also engaged The Africa Vaccine Acquisition Task Team (AVATT), who informed us of the free allocation of 1.4 million doses of AstraZeneca vaccines, of which 500,000 doses are expected by the end of this month, courtesy of MTN donation of seven million doses to Africa.
“The balance of 900,000 doses for Nigeria is expected by the end of March 2021. Other sources of vaccines are under negotiation.”
“I received a message from His Excellency, the High Commissioner of India, giving 100,000 AstraZeneca or covishield vaccine doses, also by the Serum Institute of India, as a gift of the government of India to Nigeria.
“These gestures of goodwill and partnership are appreciated by the people of Nigeria,” he said.