Headlines

WHO Names Six African Countries to Receive Technology for Covid Vaccine Production

Published

3 years ago

February 21, 2022

WHO recommends “mpox” as new name for monkeypox

By Derrick Bangura.

Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), has named Nigeria and five other African countries – Egypt, South Africa, Senegal, Kenya, and Tunisia – as the first to receive the technology needed to manufacture mRNA (messenger ribonucleic acid), which is used in the production of COVID-19 vaccines.
Ghebreyesus, who made the announcement at the European Union-African Union conference in Brussels on Friday, stated that all of the countries applied and were chosen as recipients.
The announcement was made in the presence of President Macron, President Ramaphosa, the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, and the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, at a ceremony hosted by the European Council, France, South Africa, and the World Health Organization.
mRNA vaccines differ from conventional vaccines in that they contain a weakened or inactive fragment of the target virus that causes antibodies to be produced.
Instead, these game-changing vaccinations use laboratory engineering mRNA, which tells cells how to make a protein that looks like a portion of a protein found in the virus in question, in this case, COVID-19.
This causes the body to produce antibodies in order to neutralize the foreign protein. The antibodies then stay in the body to fight future COVID-19 infections. COVID vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna are made with this technology.
The COVID-19 pandemic, according to Ghebreyesus, demonstrated that relying on a few firms to offer global public goods was both restrictive and harmful.
With the addition of Nigeria to the four countries earlier approved for the vaccine production on the continent, efforts by the Buhari administration to change the selection that the country considered unrepresentative of the needs, capabilities and population distribution in Africa has thus yielded the desired result.
President Buhari has since welcomed the development.

In his contribution at the Roundtable on Health Systems and Vaccine Production at the ongoing 6th Europe-Africa Summit in Brussels, Belgium yesterday, Buhari called for a closer collaboration with the EU to tackle the effects of the pandemic on the African continent.

He expressed delight at receiving the news of the selection of Nigeria among recipients of mRNA Vaccine technology transfer.
Buhari said: “We shall ensure the best use is made of the opportunity. Nigeria also offers to host the Bio-manufacturing Training hub proposed by World Health Organisation (WHO). We commit to providing support to make the hub functional in the shortest possible time.”
While commending the efforts of the foreign partners in making the Covid-19 vaccine available, he urged them to do more as less than 10 per cent of the African population had gotten the jab, stressing that this situation could negatively affect Africa’s developmental projections.
“In the mid- to long-term, the best way to address health emergencies and reach universal health coverage is to significantly increase the capacity of all regions to manufacture the health products they need, with equitable access as their primary endpoint,” Buhari said.

Responding to the announcement, President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa said: “This is an initiative that will allow us to make our own vaccines and that, to us, is very important. It means mutual respect, mutual recognition of what we can all bring to the party, investment in our economies, infrastructure investment and, in many ways, giving back to the continent.”
The global mRNA technology transfer hub was established in 2021 to support manufacturers in low- and middle-income countries to produce their own vaccines, ensuring that they have all the necessary operating procedures and know-how to manufacture mRNA vaccines at scale and according to international standards.

Also, French President, Emmanuel Macron said: “Improved public health benefits, supporting African health sovereignty and economic development are the principal goals of strengthening local production in Africa. In an interconnected world, we need stronger and new partnerships between countries, development partners and other stakeholders to empower regions and countries to fend for themselves, during crises, and in peacetime.”
On his part, President of the European Council, Charles Michel said the world needed to create an environment where every scientist, health worker, and government can band together for a common cause by working together “to build new solutions to protect what is most precious – our health and our lives.” He said the initiative will ensure that all countries build the necessary capacity to produce their own vaccines and other health technologies.

The WHO mRNA technology transfer hub is part of a bigger initiative to help low- and middle-income nations create their own vaccines, medicines, and diagnostics in order to respond to health emergencies and achieve universal health coverage.

Related Topics:Accessmagazine Accessnews AccessNewsMagazine Covid-19 news NewsUpdate WHO

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Africa

Customs hands over illicit drugs worth N117.59m to NDLEA

Published

9 hours ago

November 22, 2024

Matthew Eloyi

Customs hands over illicit drugs worth N117.59m to NDLEA

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Ogun Area 1 Command, has handed over illicit drugs worth N117.59 million to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).

The Comptroller of the command, Mr James Ojo, disclosed this during the handing over of the drugs to Mr Olusegun Adeyeye, the Commander of NDLEA, Idiroko Special Area Command, in Abeokuta, Ogun, on Friday.

Ojo said the customs handed over the seized cannabis and tramadol tablets to the Idiroko Special Command for further investigation in line with the standard operating procedures and inter-agency collaboration.

He said the illicit drugs were seized in various strategic locations between January and November 21, 2024, in Ogun State.

He added that the illicit drugs were abandoned at various locations, including the Abeokuta axis, the Agbawo/Igankoto area of Yewa North Local Government Area, and Imeko Afton axis.

Ojo said that the seizure of the cannabis sativa and tramaling tablets, another brand of tramadol, was made possible through credible intelligence and strategic operations of the customs personnel.

“The successful interception of these dangerous substances would not have been possible without the robust collaboration and support from our intelligence units, local informants and sister agencies.

“These landmark operations are testament to the unwavering dedication of the NCS to safeguard the health and well-being of our citizens and uphold the rule of law,” he said.

He said the seizures comprised 403 sacks and 6,504 parcels, weighing 7,217.7 kg and 362 packs of tramaling tablets of 225mg each, with a total Duty Paid Value of N117,587,405,00.

He described the height of illicit drugs smuggling in the recent time as worrisome.

This, he said, underscores the severity of drug trafficking within the borders.

“Between Oct. 13 and Nov. 12 alone, operatives intercepted a total of 1,373 parcels of cannabis sativa, weighing 1,337kg and 362 packs of tramaling tablets of 225mg each,” he said.

Ojo said the seizures had disrupted the supply chain of illicit drugs, thereby mitigating the risks those substances posed to the youth, families and communities.

He lauded the synergy between its command, security agencies and other stakeholders that led to the remarkable achievements.

Ojo also commended the Comptroller General of NCS for creating an enabling environment for the command to achieve the success.

Responding, Adeyeye, applauded the customs for achieving the feat.

Adeyeye pledged to continue to collaborate with the customs to fight against illicit trade and drug trafficking in the state.

Economy

Customs intercepts N30m worth of PMS in Operation Whirlwind

Published

10 hours ago

November 22, 2024

Matthew Eloyi

The Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) on Friday said that it had intercepted 849 kegs of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), worth over N30 million in retail price from Operation Whirlwind.

The Comptroller of Customs, Hussein Ejibunu, made this known during a news conference in Ikeja.

“Today, we have another seizure of 849 kegs of PMS containing 25 litres each. This translates to 30,225 litres with duty paid value at N30.225 million only at the NNPCL retail price.

“Today marks yet another success recorded by the operatives of Operation Whirlwind, Zone “A” Lagos/Ogun Axis.

“About five weeks ago, same PMS products were displayed before you here on the parade ground of the college where several seizures were made,” Ejibunu said.

“On this note, we wish to thank the National Security Adviser and the Comptroller-General of Customs for their unwavering support,” Ejibunu said.

The coordinator of the Operation Whirlwind said that two vehicles of means of conveyance were intercepted along with the seizures.

Ejibunu said that they evacuated 80 Jerry Cans each from a vehicle.

He assured the public that Operation Whirlwind remains steadfast in its efforts to clamp down on PMS smugglers, ensuring no room for their illegal activities nationwide.

Africa

Ann-Kio Briggs Faults Tinubu for Scrapping Niger Delta Ministry

Published

10 hours ago

November 22, 2024

Matthew Eloyi

Prominent Niger Delta human rights activist and environmentalist, Ann-Kio Briggs, has criticised President Bola Tinubu’s decision to scrap the Ministry of Niger Delta, describing it as ill-advised and detrimental to the oil-rich region.

Briggs expressed her concerns during an appearance on Inside Sources with Laolu Akande, a socio-political programme aired on Channels Television.

“The Ministry of Niger Delta was created by the late (President Umaru) Yar’Adua. There was a reason for the creation. So, just removing it because the president was advised. I want to believe that he was advised because if he did it by himself, that would be terribly wrong,” she stated.

President Tinubu, in October, dissolved the Ministry of Niger Delta and replaced it with the Ministry of Regional Development, which is tasked with overseeing all regional development commissions, including the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), North-West Development Commission, and North-East Development Commission.

Briggs questioned the rationale behind the restructuring, expressing concerns about its feasibility and implications. “But that’s not going to be the solution because who is going to fund the commissions? Is it the regions because it is called the Regional Development Ministry? Is it the states in the regions? What are the regions because we don’t work with regions right now; we are working with geopolitical zones,” she remarked.

She added, “Are we going back to regionalism? If we are, we have to discuss it. The president can’t decide on his own to restructure Nigeria. If we are restructuring Nigeria, the president alone can’t restructure Nigeria, he has to take my opinion and your opinion into consideration.”

Briggs also decried the longstanding neglect of the Niger Delta despite its significant contributions to Nigeria’s economy since 1958. “The Niger Delta has been developing Nigeria since 1958. We want to use our resources to develop our region; let regions use their resources to develop themselves,” she asserted.

Reflecting on the various bodies established to address the region’s development, Briggs lamented their failure to deliver meaningful progress. She highlighted the Niger Delta Basin Authority, the Oil Mineral Producing Areas Development Commission (OMPADEC), and the NDDC as examples of ineffective interventions.

“NDDC was created by Olusegun Obasanjo…There was OMPADEC before NDDC. OMPADEC was an agency. Before OMPADEC, there was the Basin Authority…These authorities were created to help us. Were we helped by those authorities? No, we were not,” she said.

Briggs further described the NDDC as an “ATM for failed politicians, disgruntled politicians, and politicians that have had their electoral wins taken away from them and given to somebody else.”

Her remarks underscore the deep-seated frustrations in the Niger Delta, where residents continue to advocate for greater control over their resources and improved governance.