Korean Trains 10 Nigerian Medical Personnel on Vaccine Development

Olawale Ajimotokan in   Abuja

The Republic Korea has said it has trained 10 Nigerian medical officers in the development and production of vaccines.

The Korean Ambassador to Nigeria Kim Young-chae, disclosed this in Abuja, while addressing the media on the celebration of the National Day of Korea.

Kim said the training was carried in line with the Memorandum of Understanding that was signed with Nigeria on vaccine production.

The ambassador said that the training that started in July this year would be a continuous engagement as Korea has already established concrete plans to hold training programmes for Nigerian health personnel.

“My answer is yes. We are already doing it and some Nigerian health officers visited South Korea for training in the area of vaccine development.

“It is a continuous process.  I think it started from July this year. It will continue next year and the following year. We have already established concrete plans to have training programmes.” Kim said.

The envoy described the recent visit by President Muhammadu Buhari to South Korea as timely, particularly for the cooperation in the vaccine and the bio industry, adding that diseases like Malaria and Yellow Fever are yet to be eradicated in Nigeria and are affecting economic development and public health.

“The challenge is daunting but surmountable through global cooperation and by developing a health related manufacturing base. Nigeria is designated by World Health Organisation (WHO) as a regional hub for vaccine production, and so is Korea as the WHO global training hub.

“If you want to go fast, go alone, but if you want to go far, go together’. This is an African proverb that aptly describes the bilateral cooperation on public health,” Kim said.