Scientist challenges FG on local vaccines production

Dr. Simon Agwale, a medical scientist and Chief Executive Officer, Innovative Biotech Nigeria, has called on the Federal Government to commence the production of vaccines that were pertinent to its nationals.
Agwale, who is also a virologist, made the call on Wednesday in Jos, at the 54^th Annual Scientific Conference and workshop of the Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria.
The workshop had the theme: “Local Vaccine Formulation and Production in Nigeria”.
Agwale, in a key note address, said that Nigeria must commence local production of vaccines to enable her tackle emerging and re-emerging diseases.
He said: “Vaccines are the most potent and less expensive way of curtailing outbreaks of both communicable and non-communicable diseases.
“The local production of vaccines will, therefore, ensure their availability and address peculiar health situations, in addition to generating foreign exchange.”
He said that the local production of vaccines would curtail deaths due to preventable diseases like cerebro-spinal meningitis, Lassa fever, Typhoid and cholera.
Agwale said: “The local production of vaccines will also address issues of vaccines impotency because the drugs will get to the users faster, while those with short shelve lives would be administered at their best.
Agwale called on governments to establish more modern diagnostic and clinical trial centres for the effective management of diseases in teaching hospitals.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the conference was declared opened by Plateau governor Simon Lalong, who was represented by health commissioner Kuden Deyin.