Minister of State for Health, Iziaq Salako, has said that Nigeria is not yet capable of producing vaccines locally.
Salako stated this on Thursday while featuring in an interview on ‘Politics Today’, a programme on Channels Television monitored by DAILY POST.
He was addressing the nation’s vaccine production capacity.
When asked if Nigeria could produce vaccines now, he said, “Unfortunately, not. One of the key elements Nigeria is driving under the Presidential Initiative for Unlocking the Health Value Chain is to promote local vaccine development.”
According to him, producing vaccines requires careful economic and technical consideration, adding that local production must be economically viable.
“It is not enough to just say you want to produce vaccines. You must first consider comparative advantage. If producing locally costs more than importing, then it defeats the purpose. You must do all the analysis,” he said.
The Minister further said that while Nigeria’s population of over 240 million people is a strength, the market must align with global standards.
He also assured Nigerians that the country’s health security system remains strong and prepared for global outbreaks.
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