As the COVID 19 pandemic highlights the need for Nigerian to look inward as regard vaccine production for COVID-19 and other diseases, the vice president, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, has said that local production of vaccines should not be left to government alone.
He emphasised the need for public-private partnership, saying it is crucial to bridging the gap.
Osinbajo stated this on Wednesday at the 23rd National Conference and Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Guild of Medical Laboratory Directors, themed: “Harnessing resources of public-private mix for production of human vaccines and In- Vitro Diagnosis” held in Abuja.
He noted that “Vaccine manufacturing capacity in Nigeria would greatly impact the national response to COVID-19 and other diseases and this cannot be left to government alone.”
The VP urged that the window of opportunity provided by the COVID 19 requires more than just the usual to be done to ensure that actions follow any plans made to scale-up vaccine and diagnostics production.
“I trust that the keynote session on Harnessing Resources of Public Private Partnership for the Production of Human Vaccines and In-Vitro Diagnostics in Nigeria will challenge us and foster great conversation and hopefully action towards these necessary
“One area which needs more focus and one which the pandemic has shown to be crucial to bridging gaps and providing for the needs of our population is public-private partnerships.
“This response has involved both the public and private sectors. The expansion of COVID-19 testing capacity to over 140 laboratories, with over 50 being private ones (and new ones being added every week) is an indication enough of the value of private sector involvement in health care delivery.
“While we celebrate these strong collaborations, there is still much more to be done to be crucial to bridging gaps and providing for the needs of our population is public-private partnerships” he said.
Leadership Newspaper
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