The Federal Government has moved to revive vaccine production in the country with the approval by the Federal Executive Council of the establishment of a Company to be jointly owned by Government and pharmaceutical company, May and Baker.
This formed part of the decisions reached at this week’s Federal Cabinet meeting.
Nigeria produced vaccines for local use and for exportation to nearby countries from the 1940s to 1991 when the vaccine laboratory was shut down by Government for upgrades.
The upgrades never happened and now twenty six years after, this present Government has approved the setting up of a company Bio-Vaccines Ltd that would kick off by producing between 2017 and 2021, basic vaccines solely
needed by the country’s teeming population.
The Federal Ministry of Health also gave an update on the body that had been flown into the country without requisite authorization from the Democratic Republic Of Congo, by Kenya Airways.
It assured Nigerians that the body had tested negative to any deadly virus and had since been released to its family.
Council also this week took a look into importation of goods and raw materials, noting that with the abundance of natural resources, it did not make sense to continue to import raw materials and products at the present rate, especially with the sharp drop in crude oil prices.
Research institutions have been commissioned to research into how importation of raw materials can be reduced and the natural resources of the country can be put to better use.
