Hope rises as FG inaugurates board of Biovaccines

Prospect of resuming local production of vaccines in the country became brighter at the weekend as the Federal Government inaugurated the board of Biovaccines Nigeria Ltd.

Biovaccines is a public private partnership between the Federal Government and a leading pharmaceutical company in the country, May and Baker Plc. It will serve as a special purpose vehicle for the production of vaccines in Nigeria.

Minister of Health, Prof Isaac Adewole, who inaugurated the board said that the journey to commence local production of vaccines started 25years ago when the facility in Yaba, Lagos State was closed down for upgrade which did not materialize until the current administration came to power. He said the Federal Executive Council (FEC) in May 2017 ratified the joint venture agreement between the government and May and Baker.
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Adewole who described the setting up of the board as a significant milestone, observed that local production of vaccine would bring a turnaround in the healthcare delivery system in the country.

“I have no doubt that the board will deliver and make Nigeria proud.  We have chosen a board that has no excuse to fail, the board has to deliver because Nigerians and the media are critical. We have learnt from the mistakes of the past, the name of May and Baker would be written in gold if the project succeeds,” the minister said.