Nigeria begs for vaccines because of poor investment in S&T — Tomori

Oyewale Tomori

A virologist and chairman, Expert Review Committee on COVID-19, Professor Oyewale Tomori, says Nigeria has become a beggar for vaccines because it had refused to invest in science and technology to ensure it drives and it can drive all its sector.

Professor Tomori, in the 79th Interdisciplinary Research Discourse of the University of Ibadan Postgraduate College lecture entitled, ‘Science, Scientists and Society (SSS)’, stated that Nigeria’s poor funding and disdain for science and technology was contributory to 10.5 million children out of school, over 5 million children under-vaccinated and 11.5 million children are stunted and over 800 of every 100,000 mothers die from childbirth.

Tomori stated that putting money into science would have helped Nigeria avoid the many epidemics, including yellow fever, Lassa fever cholera and meningitis that have befallen Nigeria.

According to him, “Science and technology form the basis of all human existence, the food we eat, cars we drive and even other things. Science is what can solve superstitions, customs and traditions.

“There is no way out of the vicious cycle of poverty except by utilizing the new sources of power which science has put at our disposal. The world has changed far more in the past 100 years. The reason is not political or economic, but technologies that flow directly from advances in basic science.

“Between 1988 and 2010, the USA invested $3.8 billion on the genomic project and now it is generating $796 billion, what we call a return of investment of $141 on every dollar. A lot of countries are enjoying the benefits of consistent and long term support to science.

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“In 2021 alone, we report 111,000 cases of cholera, with 304 dying; measles took 87 people, Lassa fever 102, meningitis comes every three years and last year out of the 110 cases, 65 had died. Lassa fever was initially a sporadic disease in a few states, now we have had an annual epidemic in at least 15 to 30 states, in the last five years.

“We have become beggars for vaccines and every other thing because we could not invest as they have. These are some of the things science would have sought out for us if we have put our money into science. Nigeria is one of the countries with the lowest investment in R&D.”

Professor Tomori stated that adequate funding, consistent and long term support, as well as private sector involvement, were important to create enabling environment for science to thrive in Nigeria and called for the establishment of national research and genomic fund.

Vice-Chancellor, University of Ibadan, Professor Kayode Adebowale stated that it is imperative that the town and the gown information transfer channels are well established and better fostered based on thoughtful consideration of experiments whose results will modify existing policies and problems in Nigeria.

Sade Oguntola