FOLLOWING the designation of Nigeria as one of the countries for COVID-19 vaccine production, medical professionals have expressed divergent views on the
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SADE OGUNTOLA reports that experts in the country are divided over COVID-19 vaccines and drugs as some believe that government should encourage local researchers to produce them locally, just as some local production of vaccines would take years to happen during which many more Nigerians would have died.
The COVID-19 pandemic has surely ravaged the whole world raking up unexpected mortality figures. Surprisingly, Africa has been largely spared, taking into consideration the number of fatalities recorded on the entire continent which is far lower than the reported figures in some individual countries in Europe.
However, while the vaccine has become available in Europe and America since December 2020 and inoculation has started in earnest, Nigeria, like many African countries, is still waiting for its first consignment of vaccines slated for late January, even as the death toll surges.
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Investigation by The Guardian has revealed that most government hospitals in the country, especially in Lagos State, have been overwhelmed by upsurge of COVID-19 patients needing intensive care with oxygen support to survive.
The daily rise in cases and deaths in the second wave has made some persons and groups to call for another lockdown, as obtained in United Kingdom (UK) and other climes.
Also, The Guardian investigation revealed that there is alarming demand for oxygen in most public hospitals. It was reliably gathered that the second wave infection has brought about increase demand for oxygen at isolation centres across the country. Three hundred cylinders of gas is said to be used daily in Lagos isolation facilities, with a critical patient needing about six cylinders of oxygen within 24 hours.
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Many, including the leadership of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), have wished that Nigeria could begin production of vaccines and stop depending wholly on imports.
At his last visit to the Presidency, where he pledged that governors would be publicly administered the COVID-19 vaccine whenever it arrived, the Ekiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi, rued the idea of waiting to be served by other countries and wondered why it was taking the country long to perfect processes regarding vaccine production.
Medical experts have, however, explained why the country cannot manufacture vaccines now. In fact, the situation seems to pose more questions than answers even as everyone waits eagerly for arrival of first 100,000 doses of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccines.
• It’s mirage to expect local vaccines now, says Akintayo
• We’re making tremendous progress, says Okeakpu
Many, including the leadership of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), have wished that Nigeria could begin production of vaccines and stop depending wholly on imports.
At his last visit to the Presidency, where he pledged that governors would be publicly administered the COVID-19 vaccine whenever it arrived, the Ekiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi, rued the idea of waiting to be served by other countries and wondered why it was taking the country long to perfect processes regarding vaccine production.
Medical experts have, however, explained why the country cannot manufacture vaccines now. In fact, the situation seems to pose more questions than answers even as everyone waits eagerly for arrival of first 100,000 doses of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccines.