President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed that Nigeria is ready to become a global hub for sustainable manufacturing and distribution of vaccines.
He also stated that biological pharmaceuticals support initiatives to keep humanity safe.
Femi Adesina, the President's Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, said the President stated this on Tuesday while addressing the World Bio Summit 2022.
Buhari says Nigeria Is Ready To be a Global Hub For Vaccine Production.
The summit aimed to discuss the future of vaccines and Bio-Health globally in Seoul, South Korea. The Nigerian leader also calls for the immediate commencement of local production of mRNA vaccines.
The World Health Organization chose Nigeria among the six African countries to receive vaccine production technology. President Buhari stated at a meeting convened by the Government of South Korea and WHO that Nigeria will continue to explore bilateral, multilateral, and other opportunities.
This medium will make Nigeria a center of excellence for vaccine manufacturing and distribution.
President Buhari stated, "We see opportunities to address diseases that have afflicted Sub-Saharan Africa and third-world countries for centuries." As mRNA technology enables science to shift attention to previously unknown disease threats, President Buhari said,
"Nigeria invites partners to consider collaborating with us in Nigeria if they are willing to support efforts to develop vaccine technology across the entire value chain of our continent."
And this will be through developing and manufacturing effective and affordable therapeutics and vaccines.
"Nigeria invites partners to consider collaborating with us in Nigeria if they are willing to support efforts to develop vaccine technology across the entire value chain of our continent."
The Nigerian President noted that ongoing discussions about the future of vaccines tend to favour decentralization of the capacity to produce materials required to respond to pandemics globally.
He also stated Nigeria prefers a global warehousing and supply chain strategy to meet the needs of most countries.
According to President Buhari, Nigeria is ready and available due to: its strategic geographical location, the economy's strength, and market size derived from a population above 214 million people.
He adds the country's comparative advantage and the records of her experience in human and animal vaccine production.
Since 1924, colonial authorities have locally produced WHO-certified yellow fever, smallpox, and anti-rabies vaccines.
The President affirmed that this technology has been improved and used in Jos, Plateau.
He also reaffirmed the country's position on equitable distribution of vaccines, citing lessons learned from the Coronavirus pandemic and the unpleasant experiences of developing countries.
While describing the global response to the pandemic as discriminatory, President Buhari demanded that the world must not allow any severe public health failure to happen again.
President Buhari also recounts his administration aims to alleviate the impact and reduce the spread of COVID-19 in Nigeria.
He highlights that the country's positive exploits were noticed and commended by the global health body.
