Gom Mirian
Nigeria’s Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammed Ali Pate, his counterparts in South Africa, Mathume Phaahla; Rwanda, Dr. Sabin Nsanzimana; and Senegal, Dr. Marie Ngom Ndiaye will headline the Vaccine Manufacturing and Research Conference in Abuja from March 6 to 9, 2024.
The international conference, organised by the Director General, National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRD), Dr. Obi Adigwe, with the theme: “Local Vaccine Manufacturing: Building Africa’s Capacity for Research, Development, and Novel Biotechnologies,” aims to tackle critical issues around vaccine research and manufacturing in Africa .
Following NIPRD and the Ministry of Health’s push for local vaccine production, Prof. Pate and the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Tunji Alausa will play prominent roles in the three day packed events, from key note address, to leading conversations on local manufacturing of vaccines.
Last month, the federal government took steps to expedite local vaccine manufacturing by reviewing and validating the draft National Plan for Vaccine Research and Development. The plan, developed in 2021, is the first of its kind in Africa, and highlights roles of relevant stakeholders in the vaccine landscape.
Dr. Adigwe had described the move as a step towards reducing tokenism interventions such as fill-finish products, adding that it would help build dependable, equitable and veracious partnerships to enable the continent undertake full research and development for the production of vaccines.
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