Lady Alleges That COVID-19 Vaccines Are Being Sold To The Privileged At Lagos Health Centre

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Lady Raises Alarm Over Sales Of COVID-19 Vaccine In Lagos
Photo file of health worker receiving COVID-19 vaccine.

A young lady has alleged that COVID-19 vaccines are being sold to privileged Nigerians at a health centre in Ikate, Lagos state.

The lady identified as Uloma on Twitter, shared her experience after she visited the health centre in Ikate and found out that the COVID-19 vaccines provided by the Federal Government were been sold to people.

It would be recalled that of the first tranche of 3.92 million doses allocated to Nigeria, Lagos State received 507,742 doses of the vaccine in the early hours of Tuesday, March 9, 2021, and has commenced its first phase of distribution.

Read Also: Just In: Sanwo-Olu Receives COVID-19 Vaccine As Lagos Begins Vaccination (Videos)

The sales of vaccine allegation comes months after Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 declared that Nigerians will be vaccinated for free.

National Coordinator of Presidential Taskforce (PTF) on COVID-19, Sani Aliyu back in December gave the assurance that Nigerians will be vaccinated without being charged.

 Read Also: COVID-19 Vaccine Will Be Administered For Free – PTF Chairman

However, few days ago, a lady on Twitter alleged that the vaccines were been sold to people at a health center. Unfortunately, many Nigerians attacked her, saying her claims were false.

Another Twitter user, Uloma has now stated that people who attacked the lady for speaking up about the incident should be apologized to her.

Uloma stated that while at a health centre in Ikate, she observed that wealthy people were being sold the vaccines.

She tweeted;

I think the people who dragged that lady for saying that Nigerian health centres are selling the vaccines owe her a huge apology. I’m presently at a health centre in Ikate & people are coming in with their SUVs & having the vaccines sold to them before our very eyes. I AM PISSED!

Meanwhile, another Twitter user, @mimi_onyekwere also confirmed that the vaccines where indeed sold to individuals.

Replying Uloma’s tweet, she wrote;

I can confirm this. The Matron gave us a silly speech about how they’ll prioritize old people and essential workers. Next thing, they’re selling the vaccines. Doctors and Nurses have been here since 6am and not one of them could get. Not ONE!

Responding to the lady’s tweet, Uloma wrote; “I can’t believe we have to fight for vaccines. VACCINES! We are selling vaccines!

Calling on Lagos state Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu and Nigeria Centre for Disease Control by tagging them in her follow up tweet, Uloma alleged that many people waiting to be vaccinated are being ignored while people of affluence walk in and getting vaccinated through the ‘backdoor’.

Giving an instance of the alleged situation, the Twitter user stated that a 96-year-old man at Ikate Health Centre who had been at the centre since 8 am was being ignored, despite being in the category of essential persons meant to receive the vaccine.

She then alleged that an ambulance drove out with vaccines and was driven at the Oba’s palace.

Giving an update shortly after, Uloma expressed the the aged man was eventually vaccination after many clamoured for him to be swiftly attended to by health workers.

Speaking further, the Twitter user stated that she spoke with some health workers who also expressed frustration at the alleged situation.

Uloma alleged that the health workers also said they were also yet to receive the even gotten the vaccines themselves and that they are only obeying orders from above to distribute vaccines to “special individuals”, adding that it isn’t in their place to disobey those orders.

Uloma later tweeted that she left the health centre out of frustration about the alleged situation, adding that she left the place with headache and a strained knee.

Meanwhile, while unveiling the list of 88 accredited vaccination health facilities in Lagos state last week,  health commissioner, Akin Abayomi explained that the vaccination process will be conducted in four phases.

Read Also: Breaking: Lagos Releases List Of 88 COVID-19 Vaccination Centres (Photos)

While phase 1 is for healthcare workers, COVID-19 response team, ports of entry staff (air, land, and seaports), laboratory network, judiciary, military, police, other security agencies, petrol station workers, teachers, press, and other frontline workers; phase two would be for people aged 50 years and above as well as those living with co-morbidities who are between 18-49 years of age.

Phase three is for people in the LGAs with the highest burden of disease and those who missed phases 1 and 2 and phase 4 for other eligible populations.

He added that it was compulsory for interested persons to register on designated websites before visiting any of the vaccination centres.

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