FG Approves Commercial Production Of Vaccine In Nigeria

The Federal Government has approved the production of vaccines in commercial quantity to support routine immunization programmes in the country.

To this end, the Federal Executive Council (FEC) on Wednesday, approved the process to set up a vaccine production plant in Ota, Ogun State.

Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, made the disclosure on Wednesday, while speaking to State House Correspondents at the end of Wednesday’s meeting of the Council, presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari.

“The council considered a memorandum from the Ministry of Health today, which has to do with the first stage in indigenizing vaccine production in Nigeria, the standard programme on immunization, not COVID-19 vaccine.

“As you know, the government has a joint venture agreement and formed the company called Bio Vaccine Nigeria Limited, which is to start producing vaccines domestically. Now, they are sourcing for international partners, who will join them and give them the technology transfer that they require.

“And after going to various countries, South Africa, Indonesia, they settled with Serum Institute of India, which will now be the technical partner to support them in setting up the vaccine production plant in Nigeria. But of course, Serum Institute of India is one of the largest vaccine producers in the world, and also has vaccines that are approved by the World Health Organization”, he said.

“So who will buy it?  The government now has approved 15% of the vaccines that UNICEF normally supplies us for bio vaccine to supply through contract manufacturing, Serum Institute of India and with this, Serum Institute of India will now be comfortable enough to join Bio Vaccine of Nigeria, in building their manufacturing plant here in Nigeria in Ota.

“So that arrangement has now been approved by the Federal Executive Council for Bio Vaccine Nigeria to have 15 percent of the market share, which will be used for contract manufacturing of those vaccines as an initial step over the next few years when the plant in Nigeria starts to work. So that was the approval that the council gave today”, he explained.

The Minister also spoke on monkeypox, which he described as a low-grade problem.

“Well, monkey pox has been in Nigeria for quite a few years as the low grade problem. But although it’s very unpleasant. So all over the 818 or 820 cases we have seen in Nigeria, there have not been more than seven fatalities. And those fatalities are those who had other illnesses and not necessarily those people that it caused their demise.”

By THE WILL

https://thewillnigeria.com/news/fg-approves-commercial-production-of-vaccine-in-nigeria/