The Federal Government has condemned racketeering of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccines in some of the designated vaccination centres.

Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Abdullazzi Abdullahi made this known at the joint national briefing of the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 in Abuja.

Abdullahi said selling vaccination slots was unnecessary because it has been scheduled in phases such that frontline health workers and others at higher risk are vaccinated first after registration at the portal.

“Everyone will be vaccinated free and everyone will eventually be vaccinated. There is no need to pay to be vaccinated.”

Abdullahi said testing rates will be sustained to ensure that positive cases are identified, isolated and treated.

He explained that this was necessary to avoid a third wave which some countries are presently experiencing.

“We are sustaining distribution of available commodities, PPEs and consumables to ensure availability at all times for end users at treatment centres”, the PS added.