By Idu Jude
The Federal Government says it is ready to wage the war against coronavirus as well as other viruses with the launch of a local vaccine policy in Abuja.
ThisNigeria recalls that there have been calls from different quarters more especially the academic staff union of research institutions, on the need to create wealth through special funding for researches.
The minister of Health Dr Osagie Ehanire, while performing the groundbreaking ceremony of the local vaccine production, stated that the event which marks the very first edition of the Nigeria Vaccine policy and the 3rd edition of the National Drug Policy is targeted at ensuring that Nigeria does not lack availability of drugs and also with the effort to empowering local industries.
The Minister, however, observed that the Food and Drug Services Department of the Federal Ministry of Health, as well as all development partners, did contribute to the achievement of the notable feat.
“I am indeed also very delighted on the launching of the 3rd Edition of the National Drug policy; the first edition was in 1990 while the 2nd edition was in 2005. However, many of the expectations of that edition were unrealized due mainly to a lack of political will by past governments and the absence of a well-structured monitoring system. This revised edition hopefully has taken care of those identified lapses.
He said the launching of this edition is against the backdrop of the overall Health Sector Reform (HSR) Programme of the Ministry. Noting that no matter how vibrant a health policy is, without the availability of good quality and affordable medicines, that policy will be sterile.
“Fortunately, the Federal Government of Nigeria has been paying special attention to the pharmaceutical subsector. The Presidential Forum on the Pharmaceutical Sector held in November 2003 underscored this special focus. Since that event, the Government has taken a number of pragmatic steps towards boosting the local capacity for the manufacture of essential medicines.
This is to ensure that the local pharmaceutical industry becomes a major factor in providing good quality essential medicines for our health care programmes. The 2005 Fiscal Policy is the most favourable ever, as far as the pharmaceutical sector is concerned. It provides very attractive incentives both to the existing players and prospective investors in the production of life-saving essential medicines.
He further said, “it is my earnest hope that the launching of the third edition of the National Drug Policy will further increase the vibrancy of the pharmaceutical sector for the overall improvement of people’s health. The goals of the National Drug Policy is to make available at all times to the Nigerian populace adequate supplies of drugs that are effective, affordable, safe and of good quality; to ensure the rational use of such drugs, and to stimulate increased local production of essential drugs.
“Vaccines are biological products that can be used to safely induce an immune response to confer protection against infection and/or disease on subsequent exposure to a specific pathogen. It is the most cost-effective intervention in public health and has created a significant impact on the reduction of diseases globally.
The advancement made in the eradication of the smallpox virus (1966-1980) gave credence to the fact that vaccines have a remarkable effect on disease elimination and eradication.
Nigeria is one of the developing countries that face a “double burden of diseases” with a high prevalence of communicable diseases and non-communicable diseases coupled with very recently insurgency that has led to food and medicine insecurity”
The minister stressed that based on forecasts and estimates from the latest statistics derived from the United Nations; the Nigerian population is expected to have reached 206 million by 2020 and 264 million by 2030-surpassing the estimated 300 million mark for 2036.
He said the increase in population will heighten the need for more vaccines.
The Global Vaccine Action Plan (GVAP) provides WHO member countries with a robust immunisation plan and monitoring framework; in August 2020 the WHA approved the IA2030 as a post-GVAP strategic plan for immunization. The plan needs critical assessment especially in the face of Nigeria’s transition out of GAVI support for the immunisation programme.
“This is to ensure that Nigeria continues to have access to safe and affordable vaccines.
It will interest you to know that the FGoN and GAVI re-negotiated the co-financing arrangement for vaccines with a view to ensuring a smooth transition to full country ownership.
This led to the signing of the Nigeria Strategy for Immunisation and PHC System Strengthening (NSIPSS) between the FGoN and GAVI. NSIPSS serves as the basis for the extension of GAVI support to 2028. An Accountability Framework (AF) was developed to guide the implementation of the NSIPSS. The most salient aspect of the AF is that the FGoN must provide incremental funds from budgetary sources on a yearly basis culminating in 100% funding for vaccine procurement by 2028, the FGoN is well committed to this implementation”
Meanwhile, the minister hinted that attempts have been made in Nigeria in the past to ensure the local production of vaccines and also to protect the integrity of vaccines within the country and in the sub-region. He said that Between 1940 and 1991, the vaccine production unit in Yaba, Lagos was active and manufactured vaccines against Smallpox, Rabies and Yellow Fever for both local uses and for exports to neighbouring countries in the West African sub-region. However, the facility has remained inactive since 1991.
“Nigeria has relied on UNICEF Supply division for vaccine procurement through a procurement services MoU between the Federal government of Nigeria and UNICEF. Funding for procurement of vaccines has been through a co-financing mechanism between FGoN and GAVI. Nigeria would have transitioned out of GAVI support but a re-negotiation took place to extend the support to 2028. The development of a Nigeria Vaccine Policy is a key step towards realising this objective.
There is a need to strengthen the development, local production, efficient and rational use of vaccines in Nigeria to achieve vaccine security. The Policy also recognises and builds on the existing National Health Policy, other relevant Policies and Acts of Parliament. It shall provide a clear organisational and managerial structure with the appropriate mandates to effectively offer stewardship, coordination and management of the Policy across all levels of the national healthcare system.
The Nigeria Vaccine Policy will create and regulate a supportive environment for access and use of vaccines to set the requirements and mandates for the protection of citizens from internal and external harm.
A Nigeria Vaccine Policy will reflect new realities and trends, including the provisions enumerated in the Universal Health Coverage (UHC), Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), National Health Act 2014, National Health Policy 2016, and PHC Under One Roof (PHCUOR). This will further ensure the development of strategies that will respond adequately to global health trends for emerging diseases and pandemics that impact the Nigerian health system.
UK Govt to give Nigeria 16m free doses of COVID-19 vaccines
Most importantly, the ongoing global efforts to develop COVID-19 vaccines further provide a strong justification for enacting a Nigeria Vaccine Policy in the interest of achieving Vaccine Security in Nigeria.
It is worthy to note that the implementation strategies for achieving local vaccines production and ownership of the vaccines supply chain management processes towards vaccine availability and security in the country is achievable with the launch of this policy document today.
The governing council should mobilize resources from the governments across all levels, individuals, the international communities, donor agencies. There is a need to resuscitate the local production of vaccines, intensification of research and development and strengthening the legislature and regulatory agencies to support the quality and safety of vaccines in Nigeria.
The Federal Government of Nigeria in partnership with May and Baker Pharmaceutical formed the Biovaccine Nigeria Limited to encourage local
vaccine manufacture. Biovaccine Nigeria Limited, other international Key Players and manufacturers are requested to use the appropriate technologies in modern vaccines production to boost local production of vaccines in Nigeria and make vaccines available to the Nigerian populace and the whole of West Africa.”
