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From Fred Ezeh, Abuja
Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) has said vaccines for COVID-19 and other infectious diseases developed by its researchers were ready for its first clinical trial in November.
A statement by the acting Director, Public Affairs on behalf of TETFund Executive Secretary, Sonny Echono, explained that the vaccine production cluster was made up of researchers drawn from the National Veterinary Research Institute, Vom; Usman Danfodiyo University, Sokoto; Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Jos; Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, Lagos; and National Research Institute for Chemical Technology, Zaria.
He said TETFund had disbursed N1.2 billion to four clusters of researchers, and one of the clusters was the vaccine production cluster that got N450 million grant to carry out the research on COVID-19 vaccine.
Vice Chancellor of Usman Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, Prof. Lawal Suleiman Bilbis, who led the team of researchers to brief the executive secretary, explained that they were able to make the breakthrough through the maximum support of the Fund.
In a presentation, Dr. Bashir Muhammad Bello of Usman Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, revealed that it has become a matter of urgency for Africa to join the rest of the world in the production of its own vaccine, as it was estimated that the continent currently imports 99 per cent of its vaccines and consumes 25 per cent of global vaccine supply.
He explained that this gave rise to the team coming together to form a consortium and put up a strong proposal with which they approached TETFund for sponsorship under its research and development intervention.
The TETFund boss lauded the team for the great feat achieved within a time limit to make the country proud with the progress recorded in the vaccine production.
He explained that it is a national project, and as such, it has become a national pride, assuring that TETFund would continue to assist the cross-cutting efforts of the researchers to ensure the desired goal is achieved.
