Biotechnology agency to commence local production of human vaccines

The National Biotechnology Development Agency on Thursday disclosed plans to commence local production of human vaccine in the country.

The Director-General of the agency, Lucy Ogbadu, stated this when she appeared before the House of Representatives Committee on Science and Technology for the 2016 budget defence.

According to Ogbadu, the agency is partnering with relevant stakeholders to establish a policy document development and business plan that will guarantee sustainable human vaccine production in the country.

“We are collaborating with the Federal Ministry of Health and the National Immunisation Funding Task Force to come up with a joint action plan that can support local production of vaccine.

“Some years back in the 60s, Nigeria produced vaccine but it folded up; we do not want to repeat the same mistakes so we want everything to be in place this time around,’’ she said.

She expressed worry that for over 15 years, some medicinal value crop species needed for the purpose were lying in the laboratories.

“The agency is committed to ensuring that the improved varieties get to the farmers for utilisation,’’ she added.

TheD-G therefore solicited the support of the legislature in allocating funds for the development of bio resource development centres across the country.

She said that out of the 26 centres currently existing, nine were old and the 17 new ones yet to take off.

According to her, most of the new ones are in the process of land acquisition and clearing to put up buildings meant for the centres.

Ogbadu said that the agency will develop sustainable models to ensure that findings attracted investments.

The Chairman House Committee on Science and Technology, Rep. Benny Lar (Plateau-PDP), urged the agency to find ways of developing industrial chemicals in a bid to generate more revenue.

“It does not make sense that the country is spending so much foreign exchange to import industrial chemicals.

“Chemicals we import should have been locally produced; we have the capacity and should take it seriously,’’ Lar said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the agency presented the sum of N1. 8 billion in its 2017 budget proposal.