By Edwin Uhara
Recently, the Federal Government through the Presidential Task Force on
Covid-19 (PTF), announced that the sum of N10 billion has been released
to appropriate agency to fund domestic vaccine production to tackle the
scourge of Coronavirus in the country.
The announcement was made by the Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire
during one of the weekly national briefings of the PTF in Abuja.
He said: ”While we are working to develop our own vaccines, Nigeria is
exploring options for licensed production in collaboration with
recorgnised institutions. We are also exploring the option of local
production of the vaccines in the country.”
The Federal Government’s decision came at a time moral voices are rising
against what is now known as ‘vaccine nationalism.’ According to Dr.
Amir Khan, vaccine nationalism occurs when governments sign agreements
with pharmaceutical companies to supply their own population with
vaccines ahead of them becoming available for other countries.”
Since the outbreak of Covid-19, it seemed that most vaccine
manufacturers have practically abandoned production of vaccines for
other aiments to become Covid-19 Vaccine candidates and this is why the
visionary move by President Muhammadu Buhari to rejig Nigeria’s domestic
production of vaccines at the defunct Federal Vaccine Production
Laboratory in Yaba, Lagos State is most commendable.
It will be recalled that in 2017, the Federal Government entered into a
joint venture agreement with pharmaceutical giant, May and Baker PLC for
local production of vaccines at the Yaba facility.
The agreement which created a new company called Biovaccines Nigeria
Limited (BVNL) is jointly owned by both the Federal Government and May
and Baker Plc. While the Federal Government owns 49 percent equities,
May and Baker PLC maintains the remaining 51 percent shares.
“The objective of the company, (Biovaccines Nigeria Limited) is to
produce safe and affordable human vaccines for Nigeria and reverse the
situation of high mortality from immunizable diseases.
Also, the company is to create a regional center for vaccine production
in West Africa and position Nigeria as a global player in the vaccine
business.
Before the entrance of Coronavirus in Nigeria on the 27th of February,
2020, the centre was to produce many of the basic vaccines that will be
needed in the country.
According to the then Minister of Health, Professor Isaac Adewole, “We
have considered vaccines as a security issue, it is not only health, but
we need to guarantee the security of all Nigerians particularly our
children. And so with this agreement, we will be able to produce these
common vaccines and from 2021, and beyond other vaccines that are
necessary would also be put on board to administer to Nigerians.”
Other aspects of the partnership include; to provide the technology to
build and develop local capacity for research and development as well as
local manufacturing of basic vaccines required by the country to improve
immunisation routines and reduce dependency on international donors.
According to report, the vaccine production centre was operational for
about six decades, between 1940 and 1991, producing large quantities of
vaccines against smallpox, rabies, yellow fever not only for Nigerians
but for neighbouring countries like Cameroon, Central African Republic
and a few other countries in Africa.
Sadly, the vaccine centre was closedown in 1991 by the then government
which said it wanted to reactivate and upgrade the facility.
Nevertheless, Nigeria’s response to Covid-19 through the Presidential
Task Force has been very impressive. The taskforce is not only fighting
to flatten the curve, but also developing human capacity, building
resilient infrastructures and shifting the paradigm from the yearly
capital flight caused by medical tourism to boosting domestic economy
through domestic healthcare facilities.
From just two molecular laboratories, the PTF has built more than one
hundred molecular laboratories for testing of Covid-19 cases in all the
states of the federation including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
It has established treatment centers with 10-bed Intensive Care Unit
(ICU) facilities in all the 36 states and the FCT. It has increased
daily testing capacity from 500 to over 30,000. It has secured the
approval of Mr. President and as well made provision in this year’s
budget for the building of Oxygen Production Plant in all the 36 states
and the Federal Capital Territory. It has refurbished obsolete Cold
Chains and acquired altra-modern ones to replace irreparable ones in all
the 8,812 electoral wards in the country thereby enabling the National
Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) to deliver and
administer Covid-19 vaccines to all Nigerians when vaccination programme
starts so as to ensure that no Nigerian is left behind because according
to the PTF Chairman, Boss Mustapha, “No one is save until everyone is
vaccinated.”
That is why President Buhari while extending the mandate of the
taskforce in December last year said: “There is also the need to
speedily and strategically access and administer the COVID-19 vaccine in
a safe, effective and timely manner. This is an important obligation
that we owe Nigerians as we go into the year 2021, and it must be
carried out through efficient machinery.”
“Now is the time for collective efforts to be intensified. I,
therefore, urge all sub-national entities, traditional rulers, religious
and leaders of thought to collaborate with the PTF by taking up the
responsibility for risk communication and community engagement at all
levels.”
Though, the World Health Organization is against vaccine nationalism
because it denies poorer nations access to vaccines. According to it’s
Director-General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, “While there is a wish
among leaders to protect their own people first, the response to this
pandemic has to be collective.”
“In our interconnected world, if people in low- and middle-income
countries miss out on vaccines, the virus will continue to kill and the
economic recovery globally will be delayed.”
“Vaccine nationalism will prolong the pandemic, not shorten it.”
“The COVAX Facility is the agreed international mechanism for ensuring
equitable global access to vaccines. It is solidarity in action.”
He went further to say that, “Vaccine nationalism could cost the
global economy up to $9.2 trillion and almost half of that — $4.5
trillion — would be incurred in the wealthiest economies,”
Similarly, when the United Kingdom Medicines and Healthcare Products
Regulatory Agency (MHRA) gave authorisation for emergency supply of
Oxford/AstraZeneca Covid-19 Vaccine, formerly known as AZD1222, for the
active immunisation of individuals 18 years or older in December last
year, the British people were highly elated.
This is what the UK Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Matt
Hancock said when the breakthrough was announced: “This is a moment to
celebrate British innovation – not only are we responsible for
discovering the first treatment to reduce mortality for Covid-19, this
vaccine will be made available to some of the poorest regions of the
world at a low cost, helping to protect countless people from this awful
disease. It is a tribute to the incredible UK scientists at Oxford
University and AstraZeneca whose breakthrough will help to save lives
around the world.”
“I want to thank every single person who has been part of this British
success story. While it is a time to be hopeful, it is so vital everyone
continues to play their part to drive down infections.”
In a related development, there is a new report that British scientists
are developing universal vaccines that will conquer all variants of
Coronavirus Pandemic.
According to The Telegraph newspaper report quoted by the Voice of
America on Valentine’s Day, British scientists are developing a
universal vaccine that would combat all the variants of the coronavirus
and could be available within a year.
The paper says that scientists at the University of Nottingham are
working on a vaccine that would target the core of the virus instead of
the spike protein that current vaccines focus on.
Targeting the core alleviates the need to frequently adjust existing
vaccines as the virus mutates.
Saying, “proteins found in the core of the virus are far less likely to
mutate, meaning the vaccine would protect against all current variants
and would theoretically have greater longevity.”
While there are currently many Covid-19 Vaccines like Pfizer-BioNTeh,
Moderna, SinoPharm, Janssen, Novavax and Sputnik V, the British
Oxford/AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine has been granted emergency use
authorisation in India, Argentina, Dominican Republic, El Salvador,
Mexico and Morocco for the active immunisation of adults.
According to report, AstraZeneca has entered in to partnership agreement
with the Serum Institute of India (SII), the world’s largest vaccine
manufacturer for the supply of vaccines to the Indian Government as well
as to a large number of low and middle-income countries across the
globe.
According to Adar Poonawalla, Chief Executive Officer of the Serum
Institute of India, “The emergency licensure in India marks an important
milestone for all of us. The regulatory decisions are welcoming and
encouraging towards ensuring equitable access to a safe, immunogenic and
affordable vaccine for millions of people worldwide.”
“The pandemic of 2020, however devastating – brought public and private
institutions, health authorities, governments of various countries, and
most importantly the global communities together to pose a resilient
front against the virus.”
” That said, we would like to thank all the stakeholders at various
levels who have continually supported and motivated us to fortify our
commitment of health for all.”
Because of the said licensure, today, India is the manufacturer of
Covishield Vaccine which is India’s version of the British
Oxford/AstraZeneca.
Therefore, with the untiring efforts of the PTF, Nigeria in
not-too-distance time will join the league of nations who are proud
manufacturers of Covid-19 vaccines for it’s teeming population.
Despite the pains, cries and inconveniences caused by Covid-19, Nigeria
has been able to change the narratives by turning the national adversity
into national gains.
Hence, with or without vaccine nationalism, by the time the country
starts local production of Covid-19 vaccines, it will serve as another
foreign exchange earner for the nation thereby adding to the strength of
our national budget which for first time in history, the non-oil sector
will be accounting for 70 percent of the total expected revenue for this
year.
All that is required from Nigerians is to support and strictly adhere to
the non-pharmaceutical guidelines put in place by the Presidential Task
Force under the able leadership of the Secretary to the Government of
the Federation (SGF) and Chairman of the PTF, Mr. Boss Mustapha.
Until everyone is vaccinated and have developed hard immunity against
Covid-19, let’s continue to take personal responsibility because
Coronavirus is looking for who to kill on daily basis.
Comrade Edwin Uhara is a UN-trained Negotiator and Member, APC
Presidential Campaign Council in the last Presidential Election.
If you choose, you can follow him on Twitter via @edwinuhara
He writes from Abuja