International Foundation Against Infectious Disease in Nigeria (IFAIN) has commenced a five-year background investigation into the adverse effects of vaccines in the country.

The foundation, a non-governmental organisation working with the Global Vaccine Data Network, has selected four hospitals in the country where the study would be conducted under its project, titled “Background Rate of Adverse Events for Vaccine Evaluation in Africa (BRAVE)” in Nigeria.

The Country Director for Research at AFAIN, Bernard Ebruke, said the foundation was coordinating the implementation of the BRAVE project in Nigeria.

According to Bernard, to determine how common the conditions are, there must be an understanding of the baseline on what is happening in the population before the introduction of vaccines. “This helps us to assess whether any changes observed afterwards can be attributed to the vaccine or not. That is the core objective of the project.”

He added that the project also aimed to support health facilities and the broader health system in Nigeria by building capacity to capture data reliably.

In his remarks, the Chief Medical Director, ATBUTH, Prof. Yusuf Jibrin Bara, noted that for any vaccine project and trial, there are basic information, infrastructure.

And capacity that must be available, saying: “We are lucky to have an organisation to give us a lot in terms of capacity building both in terms of human capital, infrastructure, laboratory and engagement with the community, that one we have done and now, very soon, you are going to see us start vaccines trials, the one we are starting with is Lassa, another one is coming.”