NMA backs FG on local vaccine production

The alarming rate of deaths usually recorded during an outbreak of vaccine preventable diseases in Nigeria may soon be a thing of the past, following move by the federal government to begin the production of local vaccines in the country in partnership with May and Baker Plc, a move the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), has described as a step in the right direction.

The Federal Executive Council (FEC) recently approved joint venture agreement between the Federal Government and May & Baker plc to produce vaccines from 2017 to 2021.

In the agreement, the federal government would own 49 per cent of the joint venture while May and Baker would own 51 per cent.

Speaking during an interview with The Daily Times in Lagos recently, NMA president, Prof. Mike Ogirima, said producing vaccines locally would not only save lives but would also save the nation a lot of scare foreign exchange.

According to the Nigerian Center for Disease Control (NCDC), up to 1,158 people have died since the outbreak of cerebrospinal meningitis in December, 2016, deaths experts said could have been averted if there were available vaccines.

In 2005, May & Baker entered into a joint venture with the Federal Government to take over the facilities of the Federal Vaccine Production Laboratory (FVPL) in Yaba now Biovaccine Nigeria Limited for the purpose of resuming vaccine production which had stopped due to the inability of the FVPL to cope with operational challenges. The project was however delayed due to the non-ratification of the agreement by successive governments.

Commending federal government’s decision, Ogirima, said: “For this present administration to think about the resuscitation of Yaba Lab into Biovaccines Nigeria Limited in partnership with May and Baker PLC, is a good achievement.”

Listing the various benefits awaiting the nation by having Biovaccines in place, Ogirima stated: “Already, we know that it is a ratio of 59and 41 percent and I am sure that whoever is going to be employed to actually do the technical job, will be capable of not only saving the nation $2.5 billion annually , but we hope that starting it again, is going to create employment.

“And when we have stabilised our consumption, we will be able to market the products to other African countries just as we were doing before. So we are going to earn foreign exchange apart from helping our population.”

Nigeria before the move, depended on the World Health Organisation (WHO), United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) and other international agencies for the procurement of the vaccines needed by the country.

The Daily Times gathered that in the 1980s and early 1990s, Nigeria was actually producing vaccines for human use in FVPL in Yaba now Biovaccines Nigeria Limited was producing yellow fever and smallpox vaccines before it was abandoned for foreign importation.

To further boost the nation’s healthcare system , Ogirima said the NMA was working to address the issue of quackery and incessant strikes in the system, adding that a lot could be achieved in the sector through diplomatic interactions with government.

The NMA president who called for due process and civility in the doctors’ approach to government when pressing home their demands ,revealed that the NMA would collaborate with the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) to launch a seal in August to check quackery in the profession.

“We have taken the delivery of the machine and we must come together to protect our ministry through a harmonious relationship to move the health sector forward for the benefit of patients,” he said.

He assured that his tenure would be devoid of incessant strikes in all government hospitals in the country.