African medical experts, researchers, others move for local production of vaccines

Obaseki applauds fathers’ sacrifice, resilience amid COVID-19 crisis

Coalition for Dialogue on Africa (CoDA) will today host medical experts, researchers and policymakers from the Africa continent to unveil its Independent Task Team (ITT) on equitable and universal access to vaccines and vaccination on the continent.

Members of the CoDA team are former President of Nigeria, Olusegun Obasanjo, Chairman of the CoDA Board of Directors and Deputy Chairperson, African Union Commission, Monique Nsanzabaganwa, Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki and Nigeria’s Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire.

Others are former Governor of Edo State, Lucky Igbinedion and Deputy Chancellor and Deputy Chairman, Board of Regents, Igbinedion University Okada, Chief Medical Director of Igbinedion University Teaching Hospital (IUTH), Prof. Godwin Bazuaye and Chairman, Pan African Manufacturers Association and Executive Director, Dangote Group, Mansur Ahmed.

The meeting is expected to end the long wait for health solutions across Africa with regards to vaccine development, production and distribution.

Speaking with journalists in Benin City, Executive Director of CoDA), Ms. Souad Aden Osman said the initiative was aimed at generating demand for vaccine development, production and distribution in Africa.

“The purpose of the team is to support efforts of researchers, the private sector and civil society in policymaking to generate demand for vaccine development, production and distribution on the continent,” she added.

Earlier, Ahmed stressed the need for Africa to become a leading continent in the production and distribution of essential vaccines, adding: “With regards to sustainability, we are not saying produce vaccines for today’s corona virus.

We are saying, let us begin to build capacity so that we can produce vaccines.”

BESIDES, Obaseki has commended the sacrifice and resilience of fathers in providing support, sustenance of their families and in wading through the vagaries of the COVID-19 pandemic.
 
Obaseki, who made the assertion on the sidelines of Fathers’ Day commemoration yesterday, celebrated fathers for their role in holding the family unit together, despite the disruptions caused by the pandemic and the dislocations to global economies.
 
“Fathers were resilient and made immense sacrifices to keep the family united, even with the effects of the lockdown and they deserve to be celebrated.
 
“The state government is working to ensure that it provides a conducive environment that will guarantee the survival and growth of businesses,” he said.