COVID-19: Nigeria Scientists Manufacture Two Vaccines, Await Clinical Trials

Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, has revealed that scientists in the country have produced at least two vaccines which are ready for clinical trials.

He said the government is presently looking for resources to enable it to take the vaccines for clinical trials, after which it will be ready for entrepreneurs who can reproduce them.

He added that the ministry is looking to place one primary health centre in every political ward in the country.

The Minister made the disclosure on Saturday, at the closing ceremony of the Technology and Innovation Expo in Abuja.

According to him, “The Ministry of Health is honored to be able to work with the Ministry of Science and Technology. We have been able to work on vaccines; we have at least two candidate vaccines which we are looking for resources to take them to the level of clinical trial and after the clinical trials to entrepreneurs who will now boost the production of the vaccines.

“At the Ministry of Health, we are looking to place one primary health centre in every political ward. I will like to say that we have over 4000 at the moment with about 6000 to go; many of them will be in the rural areas and we will have to work with the building research agency to find the lowest costing of building using domestic technology and resources to be able to construct a large number of primary health care centres at a cost that will be affordable to us. We want to achieve as many of them during the period of the administration of Mr. President.”

In his closing remarks, the Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, said the output of the past four editions of the expo have led to the creation of many micro and small scale businesses in the country.

He said, “I am happy to inform you that the output of our past four editions of the expo have led to the creation of many micro and small scale businesses in our dear country. I invite the Organised Private Sector (OPS), to take advantage of the research results and prototypes showcased at the expo to create jobs for the people, reduce poverty and crime in the country as well as create wealth for both themselves and the nation.”