Nigeria and the World Bank are partnering to generate $30 million to fund a vaccination facility in the country, according to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.
This was expressed by Osinbajo at the National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development’s (NIPRD) International Conference on Health Access and Socio-Economic Development in Abuja.
According to him, the worldwide trend in health has made it imperative for Nigeria to build its own vaccine manufacturing facilities.
The Vice President said: “Nigeria is in talks with the World Bank’s private lending arm and other lenders to raise about $30 million to help finance a vaccine plant in the country.
“Bio-vaccine Nigeria Limited is chaired by Prof. Oyewale Tomori; 49 percent of the company is owned by the Nigerian government with the balance held by May and Baker Nigeria Plc and they have plans to begin the construction of a plant.
“I believe in the first quarter of next year; the plant which is supposed to be located in Ota, Ogun State, will initially, we are told, fill and finish, which I’m also told, means importing the raw materials for the vaccines and then packaging them for distribution.
“Some South African companies are already involved in doing exactly that; I believe Aspen Pharmacare and Belvac Institute operate similar facilities.
“Full manufacturing, we are told, is expected to follow in the coming months or years; I am not entirely certain, when.
“So, it is evident that the way forward is more funding for healthcare and research for innovators to develop solutions in pharmaceuticals and medical consumables.’’
Osinbajo said he was enthused by the potential and the kind of support that the pharmaceutical business and research organizations would demand in the country after speaking with NIPRD Director-General, Dr. Obi Adigwe.
According to him, the Federal Government established the Healthcare Sector Intervention Fund, which has disbursed $185 million (N76.9 billion) to Nigeria for the purchase and installation of key medical equipment.
He added that the money would be used to expand production lines in a variety of pharmaceutical enterprises across the country.
With the release of N233 billion in grants, the Vice President revealed that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) is also sponsoring a number of research and development activities in the health sector.
NIPRD, according to Osinbajo, is also making significant contributions to the development of a local cure for COVID-19.
He added: “NIPRD has also developed an impressive variety of pharmaceutical products from indigenous resources and both the Niprimune and Niprimune plus both of which I have the pleasure of seeing, have been found to posses reasonable properties that are able to prevent or work against COVID-19.
“Both products, which have been registered by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), are currently undergoing various levels of clinical studies towards approval for production for emergency use.
“The NIPRD Director-General, Dr. Obi Adigwe, has assured that by this time next year, the institute will launch three new products currently under development at its Nanomedicine, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Centres.
“It is this proactive approach that we must take to address the slow pace of vaccine access in Africa and of course, Nigeria.
“Although, we received help from some friendly nations and the COVAX Alliance, less than four percent of our eligible population would have been vaccinated by the end of this year.”
