Emeritus Professor of Internal Medicine, Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Idris Mohammed, has lamented that despite availability of vaccines, preventable diseases remain A major cause of mortality and morbidity in Nigeria and Africa.
Mr Mohammed made the lamentation on Tuesday while delivering a keynote address during the 2024 Annual Lecture and Induction Ceremony of the Nigerian Academy of Medicine, NAMed, with support from the development Research and Projects Centre, dRPC, in Abuja.
According to him, there are 26 vaccine-preventable diseases available for all countries that can afford but only the most advanced, rich countries are able to procure and administer them to their citizens.
He said: “Disease prevention and control have played a very important role in promoting health and preventing mortality across the world. Of the variety of means by which infection can be prevented or its effects curtailed, vaccination is probably the most important.
“This is particularly so for the resource, poor developing countries of sub-Sahara Africa where infection remains the major cause of mortality and morbidity.”
While lamenting the unavailability of many vaccines in Nigeria, Mr Mohammed urged the Nigerian government to stop relying heavily on donor agencies for vaccine production and supply.
“I know of no active vaccine manufacturing laboratory in Nigeria at the minute, though I am aware of strenuous efforts to establish some. I believe there is also strong support from the Nigerian government in this direction, but a lot needs to be done,” Mr Mohammed stressed.
Also speaking, the NAMed Secretary Board of Trustees member, Prof. Oluwole Atoyebi, warned that the country is in trouble if it continues to depend on foreign countries for all the vaccines.
“We should plan and drive policies towards vaccine self-sufficiency. Vaccine-producing institutions should set up and enough funds should be devoted to research,” Mr Atoyebi advised.
On his part, Director of Programs, dRPC, Dr. Stanley Ukpai, said the dRPC, which has been supporting NAMed conference since 2020, will continue to collaborate towards achieving Nigeria’s quest for vaccine production.
