By; DAHIRU SULEIMAN, Dutse
President Muhammadu Buhari has assured participants at the ongoing global summit on vaccine production that Nigeria would continue to explore bilateral, multilateral and other opportunities for cutting-edge technology as a centre of excellence for vaccine manufacturing and distribution.
This was contained in a statement issued and signed by the President’s Special Adviser on Media, Femi Adesina. ‘‘Nigeria invites partners ready to support efforts towards the entire value chain of vaccine technology development in our continent, to consider working with us in Nigeria,’’ he said.
He added, ‘‘We believe that this concept makes sense and we fully endorse the wisdom of strategic and balanced spread of critical manufacturing capacity and essential stockpiles across the globe,’’ he said. The President, therefore, declared that Nigeria is ready and able to offer itself for this initiative, due to its strategic geographical location, strength of economy and market size derived from a population of over 214 million people. He added that Nigeria’s comparative advantage is also supported from its experience in human and animal vaccine production record since 1924, when colonial authorities produced WHO-certified smallpox, yellow fever and anti-rabies vaccines locally – a technology that has been improved upon and being used in Jos, Plateau State of Nigeria. ‘‘This Summit certainly opens up global conversations at high levels of government, on measures that are expected to forestall recurrence of the unpleasant experiences that Low-Income and Lower Middle-Income countries in Africa and Asia, especially, had to endure with regard to access to vaccines during the COVID-19 pandemic. NIGERIA READY TO BECOME GLOBAL HUB FOR VACCINE PRODUCTION- Buhari at WHO Seoul conference on vaccine production
President Muhammadu Buhari has stated in Seoul, South Korea on the country’s readiness to become a global hub for sustainable manufacturing and distribution of vaccine and biological pharmaceuticals to support initiatives to keep all of mankind safe.
Addressing the World Bio Summit 2022, the Nigerian leader pledged commitment to global response to known or emerging pathogens, including the global vaccine assurance ecosystem and equitable access for all. He told the meeting jointly convened by the Government of South Korea and WHO to discuss the future of vaccines and Bio-Health across the globe, that Nigeria would continue to explore bilateral, multilateral and other opportunities for cutting-edge technology as a centre of excellence for vaccine manufacturing and distribution. ‘‘We believe that this concept makes sense and we fully endorse the wisdom of strategic and balanced spread of critical manufacturing capacity and essential stockpiles across the globe,’’ he said.
