He said this on Monday in Abuja, during a ministerial bi-weekly meeting on the update of COVID-19 response and development in the country’s health sector.

According to him, when there is an outbreak of any flu or disease anywhere in the world, WHO will announce it to the world and send an advisory on how it can be handled, but there is no such alert in the case of the strange flu.

“So the Ministry of Health finds the message going round in social media, odd and strange.

By default, when there is an outbreak of any flu or disease anywhere we will hear it first from WHO and WHO has not said anything about it, we will also hear from the US Centre for Disease Control, but there’s nothing like that also from there and we have not even read anything from the Chinese people.

“Usually, their embassy will send somebody to come and inform us if there is anything. So I begin to wonder about the authenticity of that paper going around the place because up till today no confirmation of anything like that,” he said.

The minister also said that foreign media outlets were also silent about the flu from China, an indication that the news making the rounds is a fabrication.

He, however, said that the Federal Government is on the lookout for anything suspicious.

“This is a season where people generate stories, throw them into the media and everybody starts panicking, whilst those who generated such stories are laughing at the chaos that they have created.

“So we are watching the situation, everything we hear we take seriously, but I want to assure you again that any outbreak of such a character, first of all, is announced by WHO, they will then send us advisory and information about it.

The US CDC, the equivalent of CDC in the UK, in Europe, they have not said anything. So reports of that nature I also want you to take with a big pinch of salt,” he added.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that there had been trending reports that amid the resurgence of COVID-19 in China, there had been an outbreak of an unknown deadly flu in China, which has led to the death of residents, including three Nigerians.

According to the reports, though the initial clinical analysis ruled out COVID-19, the symptoms of the fatal flu include dry throat, fever and difficulty in breathing.

Speaking about Diphtheria, a disease which broke out recently and has spread to four states with 123 confirmed cases and 38 deaths, Ehanire said everyone had a joint responsibility to address diseases.

He, however, said it was the responsibility of the Federal and State Governments to address particular diseases as they break out and that the Federal Government through the Ministry of Health was doing its part.

“I want to assure you that every disease outbreak everywhere is given full attention by this ministry and nothing is left that is our duty to do that we do not do, but I will also expect all states to carry out their own responsibility.

“They need to play their role in managing some of the social fallout.

“Also, every single person who has appeared in our hospitals has received treatment and no one has been turned back because they didn’t have money,” he added.

Ehanire made the assertion on Tuesday in Abuja during a media conference.

He also said there was no embargo on the employment of doctors and other health personnel in the country.

“There is no embargo on employing doctors; where there is a need, we do. But, because there is a Civil Service regulation, there are processes before doctors are employed.

“We have heard complaints of doctors who are now leaving the system but there are actually enough doctors in the system because we are producing up to 2,000 or 3,000 doctors every year in the country, and the number leaving is less than 1,000.

“It is just that the employment process needs to be smoothened,” he said.

The minister explained that the ministry was working with the Office of the Head of the Civil Service to use the ‘One-for-One’ employment strategy so that if one doctor or nurse resigns to go abroad, another one is employed.

Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire said this in reaction to a report of one million COVID-19 vaccines expiring in the country.

The Minister stated that they’ve utilised most of the over 10 million short-shelf-life doses of COVID-19 vaccines so far supplied to it, in good time, and saved N16.4 billion or more than $40million in foreign exchange.

Noting that donation of surplus COVID-19 vaccines with expiring shelf lives to developing countries has been a matter of international discussion, Ehanire averred that developing countries like Nigeria accept them “because they close our critical vaccine supply gaps and, being free, save us scarce foreign exchange procurement cost”

He also asked donors who recognise a need to give away unused vaccines before they expire in their own stock, to begin the process early enough and create a well-oiled pathway for prompt shipment and distribution through the COVAX and AVAT facilities, to reduce risk of expiration.

The Minister said; “This dilemma is not typical to Nigeria, but a situation in which many Low- and medium-income countries find themselves. The Ministry of Health shares its experience with partners regularly and now politely declines all vaccine donations with short shelf life or those that cannot be delivered in time.With better coordination, vaccines need not expire in the stock of Donors or Recipients.”

Ehanire also disclosed that a long term measure to prevent quick expiration of COVID-19 vaccines, is for the country to produce its own vaccines so it can have at least 12 months to expiration

He added; “This is why the Federal Ministry of Health is collaborating with stakeholders to fast-track establishment of indigenous vaccine manufacturing capacity. This is a goal we are pursuing with dedication.”

The minister disclosed this during a media briefing on the COVID-19 response in Abuja

According to Ehanire, it was necessary to clarify the situation due to the ongoing rumours concerning the fund

The Senate Committee on Local and Foreign Loans, on Tuesday, kicked against the proposal by the Federal Ministry of Health to borrow $200 million under the Malaria Programme to buy mosquito nets in the 2022 budget.

The committee condemned the response of the Ministry of Health’s submission about its intention to borrow the amount for the purchase of mosquito nets for 13 vulnerable states.

Ehanire explained that the United States of America and the global health fund had promised to provide support for the eradication of malaria in some states while adding that the fund was not just for the purchase of mosquito nets but the eradication of malaria in the 13 states.

He said, “The United States Presidential Initiative on malaria donated $295 million to cover eleven states and the global health fund for tuberculosis and malaria, also donated about four million dollars for 13 states. This leaves thirteen states without bilateral support.As a condition for our partners to release their own grants, the partners want Nigeria to be responsible for thirteen states namely Abia, Anambra, Borno, Edo, Ekiti, Ondo, Kogi, Imo, Lagos, Rivers, and the Federal Capital Territory. The fund is not just to purchase mosquito nets as widely purported but to purchase test kits among others. Malaria is endemic to Nigeria and therefore people are so used to it and trivialize this disease in Africa. We are the country with the highest burden of malaria. Malaria counts for about 60 per cent of out patient hospital visits. The purpose of this briefing is to correct wrong information arising from not knowing the circumstances around the facility. The Federal Ministry of Health will gladly provide details. The public is enjoined to note the following: It is part of a borrowing plan, stated under the multilateral source of funds to meet Nigeria’s financial obligations. The money is about a quarter (25%) of what our foreign partners provided for the Global Roll-Back-Malaria Partnership Plan of Work. Paying this money is a condition for Nigeria to get foreign support. The facility is domiciled with, and expended from the Ministry of Finance, it is not at the Ministry of Health. Expenditure follows strict World Bank rules and guidelines and is monitored by the Ministry of Finance and as well as by the World Bank. The facility is for 13 States over a 5 year period, with about 25% going to nets and 75% to testing, treatment and other malaria control measures. Any unspent funds out of the facility returns immediately to Federal Government account.”

Speaking at the weekly ministerial briefing organized at the State House in Abuja today August 12, the Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, said although the increasing number of confirmed cases calls for concern, it isn’t enough to impose a lockdown.

On Wednesday, August 11, Nigeria recorded 790 cases of new COVID19 infections. The recent surge in infections has been partly attributed to the Delta variant, which is believed to be more contagious and deadlier.

On the current strike action by resident doctors across the country, the Health Minister said the Federal government would implement a ‘no work, no pay’ rule. He said the doctors, under the aegis of the National Association of Resident Doctors, should desist from embarking on strike actions as a means of making their demands. He urged the doctors to consider other options in the interest of the country, particularly at a time the country is in a war situation.

A number of countries have suspended the rollout of the AstraZeneca vaccine due to concerns over reported negative effects.

However, the federal government yesterday, March 15, assured Nigerians of its safety.

Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, at the media briefing by the Presidential Taskforce on the Control of COVID-19 on Monday, March 15, in Abuja, said the Federal Ministry of Health was impressed by the cooperation received from Nigerians since the commencement of the vaccination.

Reacting to reports of alleged blood clotting as side effects of AstraZeneca vaccine in some European countries, Ehanire said: “Since the rollout on Friday, March 5, vaccination has been uneventful and no adverse health events have been recorded in Nigeria. I am pleased to say that their excellencies, the president and vice president, as well as strategic leaders who have taken the vaccine along with frontline healthcare workers, are all doing very well. I assure everyone that the vaccine is safe. NAFDAC is collaborating with WHO, manufacturers and partners to evaluate other vaccines and also add to our portfolio of vaccines”

The Executive Director of National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHCDA), Dr Faisal Shuaib, also said over 8,000 Nigerians had been vaccinated without any single report of serious adverse effect.

Shuaib said: “As part of COVID-19 vaccine launch, which commenced last week across the country, over 8,000 Nigerians have been immunised so far. We have not received any official report of serious adverse effects from any of those who have been vaccinated”

The Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, performed the launching in Abuja as Nigeria receives its first batch of 3.92 million doses of AstraZeneca COVID -19 vaccines on Tuesday (today).

Meanwhile, the President of the Nigerian Medical Association, Prof. Innocent Uja, on Monday said that though he was not aware of the idea of registration before the vaccine, the procedure would violate the agreement of vaccinating frontline workers before any other person.

Uja explained that there was agreement that frontline workers, aged ones from 60 and above, as well as people with hypertension and liver disease, then security people were expected to take the vaccine first.

Uja said, “Then, it means it will violate the issue of frontline first; maybe they want to see the depth of acceptability of the vaccine. Maybe it is not administration. Honestly, I’m not aware that there should be registration online; it has not been communicated to me and I don’t know the process. But if there is going to be registration, they should make it open for people to know. I’m not aware of registration before the vaccine.”

The government further stressed that it will provide the necessary incentives to make migration unattractive for the doctors.

The Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire said this on Friday in Abuja after inspecting work on the new cancer centre at the National Hospital, Abuja, NAN reports.

“I have heard the challenge of doctors leaving the country. We have plans to provide better funding for our hospitals in Nigeria and make such migration unattractive,” he said.

The minister also said that the hospital performed well during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic in the country, pledging that the government will do everything possible to ensure that doctors will prefer to remain and work in country.

Speaking further, the minister advised the hospital management to spend wisely, properly maintain the facilities when completed and seek alternative sources of funding.

He praised the hospital administrators for its prompt services to patients and advised them to be prepared for a possible resurgence of the COVID-19 pandemic as other countries are now experiencing.

“Schools are resuming, people are travelling in and out the country so we must be prepared for any emergency,” he warned.

The Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, disclosed this during the daily briefing of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 in Abuja on Thursday.

Ehanire said, “Nigeria is also working with the World Health Organisation to finalise enrolment with the ACT – Access To COVID-19 Tools Accelerator, a global mechanism tracking and sponsoring global organisations working on COVID-19 vaccine development.

“We also have interest in the COVAX Facility, which is a Gavi-supported initiative to procure and assure equitable access to vaccines as soon as they are available, especially for lower-income countries.

“This will prioritise Nigeria for an allocation of a part of 2 billion vaccine doses that will be secured in a special plan to protect the interest of poorer countries.”

The country currently has over 50,000 COVID-19 infections and about 1,000 death, according to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, NCDC, latest update on Wednesday night, August 19.

Speaking during a Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 briefing, Ehanire said an analysis of Madagascar’s ‘COVID Organics’ shows that the mixture contains largely anti-malarial constituents.

Ehanire said “Preliminary results of the analysis of the so-called Madagascar herbs by the National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRD) shows that it is the same as the plant Artemisia anua, which is grown in the NIPRD farm. Further research on its efficacy will be conducted when the grants for research are approved. The so-called Madagascar herb is one component of the malaria treatment medicine. Some years ago, the government imported this plant and has a plantation of it in trying to develop its production of the artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT). The plantation is still there, but the process has not gone that much further. We are looking into seeing what has held it up, but the plant is here; it was intended for producing anti-malarial, and the type we have here has a very high yield of artemisinin, which is the active ingredient. The species we have here have been tested and they have a very high concentration of artemisinin. To see whether it works against the coronavirus disease is what further research will have to bring.”