Local Vaccines ’ll Reduce Nigeria’s Communicable Diseases by 50% in 2026, Says Minister

    Kuni Tyessi in Abuja

    In the quest to encourage the localisation of vaccines and to reduce over dependence on foreign donors, the Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, has said Nigeria stands a chance of reducing communicable and non-communicable diseases by 50 percent in 2026.

    He said reasons Nigeria should manufacture its vaccines include the need for better supplies for immunisation, natural security, sustainability and to kill donor fatigue as well as pandemic preparedness among others.

    The minister stated this in Abuja yesterday during the National Symposium on how to make Nigeria self-dependent on the manufacture of anti-retroviral medicines and vaccines for HIV, COVID-19, and other communicable diseases, which was organised by the INGO Third Sector Resource in collaboration with African Business Roundtable and Phoenix Africa.

    Represented by the Director for Food and Drugs Services, Mrs. Olubunmi Aribeana, the minister in his presentation titled: ‘Localisation of vaccines in Nigeria and the opportunities’, stated that Nigeria has the capacity and enhancement to develop and manufacture vaccines that are relevant to Africa and which will in turn create jobs.

    He said: “Why should Nigeria manufacture vaccines? This has to do with large and rapidly growing population, reduction in shifting burden pattern and long term impact as against quick fix.

    “Localisation of vaccines in Nigeria and the opportunities they provide are enormous. With our own vaccine production, there are 22 priority diseases that have been targeted. The vaccines could be manufactured in Africa to reach the target set for 2040. Some of the diseases include COVID-19, malaria, HIV, hepatitis among others.”

    Meanwhile, in a communique which was released at the end of the programme and signed by the Coordinator and Secretary, Jamila Mohammed Kolo and  C.K. James respectively, the organisers agreed that focus of the conference was the review of the existing carrying capacities in the country and the strategies to accelerate local production of vaccines in view of the current global vaccine shortage, and in the light of the opportunities presented by the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA).

    The National Symposium applauded the initiative of President Muhammadu Buhari in earmarking US$200 million through the Nigerian Sovereign Investment Authority for the initiative that will complement the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) ongoing N85 billion Healthcare Sector Research and Development Intervention Scheme to support local researchers in the development of vaccines and other medicines to combat communicable and non-communicable diseases, including COVID-19.

    Other stakeholders in attendance were the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, represented by Mr. Mohammed Bala; the  National Primary Health Care Development Agency represented by Dr. Dogo Bala; Nigerian Sovereign Investment Authority (Sovereign Wealth Fund), represented by Dr. Tolulope Adewole; Shalina Healthcare represented by Arun Raj; Managing Director, Emzor Pharmaceutical Industries represented by Mr. Chukwu Ekwe, among others.