African Biotech:
Towards recovery capacity building and sustainability !
It is no more news that the Coronavirus pandemic has defied all existing knowledge in science and technology around the world, and its increasing effect on the lives of people cannot be overemphasized.
The coronavirus disease also known as COVID-19, originated from a small town of Wuhan in China in 2019 and has so far spread to other countries around the world including Nigeria. Nigeria had her first reported case in February 2020 and the numbers of cases have since been growing. Salami O. Matthew, a Medical Laboratory Scientist and a lecturer with the Federal School of Medical Laboratory Science, Jos, has said that the need to find a quick solution to this pandemic which has been referred to by a few as a war waged by an invisible enemy has led to a call for government to source for and collaborate with indigenous scientists in fighting the virus.
This follows reports of claims by medical scientists around the country discovering various technologies and possible vaccines that could aid in demystifying the nature of the virus as well curbing the spread and provide a possible cure. It was reported that a certain Dr Akyala Ishaku, a Medical Laboratory Scientist, who is a lecturer at the department of Natural and Applied Science of the Nasarawa State University said that himself and his colleagues can produce diagnostic testing kits for General Hospitals in the country; a Professor of Pharmacognosy has claims that he has possible treatment for the corona virus noting that the virus is among the neglected tropical emergent diseases he and his research group have been studying for years.
Also, in the light of certain observations such as the strain of the coronavirus in Nigeria in a way maybe different in its genetic makeup considering the epidemiology pattern of the virus, as well as the low mortality rate of the pandemic in African countries when compared to other countries such as China, Italy, and USA, Salami reiterates the need for good local scientists to be brought together to fight the pandemic; this will, in a way, reduce medical expenditure of the country where foreign aid is mostly the last resort for emergencies. He emphasized the need for the Federal Government to consider diversification through biological research. This will entail building the capacity of and sustaining local medical industries that will function as research institutes for study and production as well distribution of medical supplies.
In 2017, a market development programme, Propcom Mai-karfi (PM) funded by the UKaid through the department for International Development (DFID) called for the commercialization of vaccine production at the National Veterinary Research Institute, NVRI, Vom Plateau Sate, Nigeria. This programme’s goal was to reach a good number of underprivileged people of the society with improved access to inputs and finances, improved productivity and income increase. Propcom and NVRI had in 2015 gone into partnership with aim of expanding supply and building capacity to position their outstations as a Rural Veterinary Solution Provider. Both parties aimed at identifying potential investors to grow the vaccine production outfit of the institute as a way of ensuring an efficient and sustained local production of vaccines and biologicals. Presently, the Plateau State Government has announced that NVRI will serve as the Testing center for Plateau State stating that the Bio-safety Level 3 Grade 1 Laboratory at the institute has been equipped and is now certified by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) to begin testing for COVID-19. This was stated in an address by the State Governor, RT. HON. (DR) Simon Bako Lalong on April 15, 2020 at the end of a one week lockdown in an effort to curtail the possible spread of the Coronavirus.
Hence, establishing a strong structure for biological research will enable the country to effectively fight emerging and re-emerging diseases in Africa thereby placing the country in a respectable position as well availing the economy of the nation with a strong and stable revenue source.
He said several calls have been made for the Federal Government to seek quick solutions to the pandemic which has greatly affected the socioeconomic wellbeing of the nation. It is the earnest desire of many communities and countries around the world for the present reality to become history.
