From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
The Federal Executive Council has approved the production of vaccines in commercial quantity to support routine immunization programmes in the country.
The the joint venture is between Bio Vaccine Nigeria Limited and Serum Institute of India is an Indian biotechnology and biopharmaceuticals company, based in Pune and the world’s largest manufacturer of vaccines.
Minister of Health Osagie Ehanire said this on Wednesday while briefing State House Correspondents at the end of the weekly meeting of the council held at the Council Chambers of the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
He explained that in the new arrangement, Bio Vaccine Nigeria, an indigenous public firm will control 15 percent of the market share, which will be used for contract manufacturing of those vaccines as an initial step over the next few years when the plant in Nigeria will start to work.
Giving further details shortly after the meeting, Ehanire said, “Council considered a memorandum from the Ministry of Health today, which has do with the first stage in indigenizing vaccine production in Nigeria, we are talking first of all the routine vaccines, the one to call the standard programme on immunization, not COVID-19 vaccine.
“As you know, government has a joint venture agreement and formed the company that’s called Bio Vaccine Nigeria Limited, which is to start producing vaccines domestically. Now, they have been sourcing for international partners, who will join them and give them the technology transfer that they require.
“After going to various countries, South Africa, Indonesia, they settled with the Serum Institute of India, which will now be the technical partner to support them in setting up the vaccine production plant in Nigeria. But of course, the Serium Institute of India as you know, is the largest vaccine producer in the world, and also has vaccines that are approved by World Health Organization. So all of our countries, including UNICEF, procure from Serum Institute of India, and in the partnership, Serum Institute of India requires that you must have certain order.
“They asked if we help you to produce in Nigeria who will buy and that’s what we call the market access because vaccines are not things you put on the shelves where people will go and buy like Panadol. They have to be purchased by government and they are supposed to be administered by government by the Primary Health Care Development Agency.
“So who will buy? So government now has approved 15 percent of the vaccines that UNICEF normally supplies us for Bio Vaccine Nigeria Limited to supply through contract manufacturing, Serium Institute of India and with this, Serium Institute of India will now be comfortable enough to come and join Bio vaccine of Nigeria, in building their manufacturing plant here in Nigeria in Ota.
“So that arrangement has now been approved by the Federal Executive Council for Bio Vaccine Nigeria Limited to have 15 percent of the market share, which will be used for contract manufacturing of those vaccines as an initial step over the next few years when the plant in Nigeria starts to work. So that was the approval that council gave today.”
Asked if the company was government owned, he said: “Bio Vaccine Nigeria Ltd is a joint venture company in which the federal government has 49% interest and private sector 51% interest. So they have a board in which the federal government has three members and they have four members. And the chairman is somebody who government nominated.
“So government is in the way empowering the private sector with which it has shares to become the domestic manufacturer. Because by 2028 the support we used to get from GAVI to subsidize our vaccines will expire. And by that time, we should be producing our own vaccine domestically. And we are supporting Bio Vaccine Nigeria Limited to be that manufacturer soon in Nigeria.”
On the timeline for when production will start, the health minister said: “The contract manufacturing that was approved today will be done for bio vaccine. But before the end of this year, the groundbreaking will start because they are already drawing the plan. The structural plan everything is already completed, the survey have been done, the approval has been given and then with this partnership now, they will now break the ground and start building right away.”
Asked if the partnership involves transfer of knowledge and skills, he said: “Yes, of course, it’s technology transfer. And it’s like bringing new technology and domiciling it with Bio Vaccine Nigeria limited. In fact, the staff training has already begun. Part of the training has been in South Africa, part of the training has been in South Korea and then of course, Serium Institute of India will now do the rest. And during the technology transfer of course, there will also be be the handing over of knowledge and skills.”
The Minister also spoke on monkey pox which he described as a low grade problem.
“Well, monkey pox has been in Nigeria for quite a few years as the low grade problem. But although it’s very unpleasant looking luckily, because there are very no mortality rates.
“So all over the 818 or 820 cases we have seen in Nigeria, there have not been more than seven fatalities. And those fatalities are those who had other illnesses and not necessarily those people that it caused their demise.”