Personal interests defeating local vaccines production ― Prof Tomori

Professor of Virology and Chairman of Expert Review Committee on COVID-19, Professor Oyewale Tomori, has accused certain individuals of suppressing local manufacturing of vaccines because of personal interests.

Tomori who spoke to journalists in an interview at the sideline of a book Launch titled “30 Laws For Good Health” on Thursday in Abuja said Nigeria has made progress on producing vaccine but unfortunately self-interests override the national interest.

According to him, “we have made progress but unfortunately for our country, self-interest overrides national interest. If national interest has been behind this, we should have been producing vaccine in this country by now.

“We were producing before. The same Nigeria did it but over the period, self-interest has overridden the national interest and therefore, that’s where we are today. Once you have that situation, you will be where we are.

“Some attempt and progress have been made by Biovaccine over the years, in fact this year will be a turning point. The turning point of vaccine production in the country but the years of the challenges of typical Nigerian challenges has been the problem to have stall the activities.

“Things we should do in one month we are doing it in one year and that’s why we are where we are today and as I said, it is a matter of personal interest overridden national interest,” Tomori lamented.

On COVID-19 vaccine supply, Tomori said it is left for the government to go out there and buy the vaccine like every other countries are doing.

Tomori said the countries that have the vaccines now were bold to take a gamble even when the vaccine was not ready and countries have to pay for it upfront and now they have the vaccines.

“It is time for us to wake up and go and buy vaccine and remember now if you go in there, there are people waiting on the queue. If you pay now it is still going to take along time for it to come.

“We were depending on COVAX before because India is the one providing vaccine for COVAX.

“India has its own problem, so they will solve their problems first until the epidemic wave in India goes. We should not expect any vaccine to come in.

“It is lack of preparedness that puts us where we are. If we have done the right thing, and it is not as if we don’t have money. Like I said earlier, it is not for lack, but for slack. We slack down and we are not taking the proper action,” he added.

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