Redeemer’s varsity collaborating with Cambridge on development of COVID-19 vaccine ― NUC

THE Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun State is working hard in collaboration with the Cambridge University to develop vaccines for prevention and cure of COVID-19, the National Universities Commission has revealed.

The Commission has also unveiled a compendium of ground-breaking contributions of 32 Nigerian universities to the national response to COVID-19 pandemic.

Deputy Executive Secretary of NUC, Dr Suleiman Ramon-Yusuf, who launched the document on behalf of the Executive Secretary of the Commission, Professor Abubakar Rasheed, said the National University System was proud of the modest contributions of Nigerian universities in the efforts to mitigate the COVID-19 pandemic ravaging the world since December 2019.

He said: “The performance of the African Centres of Excellence, particularly the Centre for the Genomics of Infectious Diseases at Redeemer’s University, Ede, in the sequencing of SARS-CoV-2 virus, the collaborative development of vaccines with the Cambridge University and as a pioneer national testing and screening centre have proved that world-class R & D (Research and Development) work is possible in Nigeria”.

Ramon-Yusuf, added that other African Centres of Excellence hosted in Ahmedu Bello University, Zaria, Bayero University Kano, University of Lagos, University of Benin, University of Port-Harcourt, and the University of Jos have also made profound contributions to the fight against the pandemic.

He listed some of the verifiable products of research of the 32 Nigerian universities in the efforts to provide remedy COVID-19 to include sanitisers and dispensing systems, along with handwashing devices, face masks, visors and coverings, thermometers and other temperature sensing or measuring devices and ventilators of all types.

ALSO READ: Buhari congratulates Prof Ujah on election as NMA president 

He further disclosed that the ACEs related to herbal and natural products in UNIJOS, ABU, and UNILAG, in addition to other universities engaged in drug research have been tasked to lead the current effort to develop “our natural/herbal remedies.”

He said the compendium encapsulated the various stages of development of research efforts including those that are research in progress, a prototype produced, tested and approved and patented by an approving authority and if already commercialised in some ways.

He said: “NUC usually coordinates a lot of activities in the Nigerian universities and I’m sure some members of the public might have some snippets of some of the contributions of Nigerian universities before now but for us, we take it seriously to ensure that we do have verifiable and authentic records of real activities that are likely to contribute to the concerted efforts to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 pandemic.

“We have here is a compendium through our Strategy and Advisory Committee of verifiable contributions of Nigerian universities largely in the area of research innovation ranging from mechanical ventilators and the likes,” he said.

He noted that claims that could not be verified were not captured in the compendium, saying in most cases the Commission had to demand evidence that the inventions were working.

ALSO READ: Minister unveils reviewed broadcasting code

Ramon-Yusuf noted that despite the fact that members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) are on strike, the university community has been alive to its responsibility of finding the solution to the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to him, COVID-19 is an emergency and that all patriotic Nigerians including of ASUU have been involved in one or the other to deal with the crisis.

While stressing the commitment of the government towards resolving the ASUU strike, the NUC Deputy Executive Secretary, however, said he was not in a possession to say when the strike would be called off.

He, however, disclosed that the Commission is currently collating inputs from various universities in the country and their preparation and readiness for the reopening of the institutions.

He said until this was done the universities would not be reopened so as not expose the students to dangers of the pandemic.

YOU SHOULD NOT MISS THESE HEADLINES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE

$3.313bn Chinese Loans: Nigeria Pays $461m, Still Owes $3.12bn
DESPITE paying the sum of $461.89million (about 13.4 per cent ) of the $3.313billion debt (Chinese loans) owed the Peoples Republic of China, the outstanding (Chinese loans) against Nigeria is still $3.12billion (about 94 per cent), a document from the Debt Management Office has revealed…

$500m Loan: Review All Foreign Loan Agreements, PDD Tells NASS
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has urged the National Assembly to begin a review of all agreements in foreign loans entered into by the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led Federal Government…

MONDAY LINES: ‘Mamman Daura Seeks Competence’
Leader of the ‘unseen’ persons ruling us, Alhaji Mamman Daura, spoke last week. He said enough of turn-by-turn presidency for Nigeria. He decreed that North-South rotation of the presidency of Nigeria should be dead; from 2023, the most competent among contenders would be put in the Presidential Villa…

Pastor Olukoya, Awolowo And Eternal Life
There is a viral audio online in which the General Overseer of the Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries (MFM), Pastor Daniel Olukoya, suggested that Papa, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, “did not fulfill his destiny” of becoming the president of Nigeria because he “never surrendered his life to Jesus till he…

Order Buhari To Publish Details Of Govt Loans Since 2015, SERAP Tasks Court
THE Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has asked the Federal High Court, Abuja to order President Muhammadu Buhari to “publish details of loans that have been obtained by the government since May 29, 2015, including the interest rate, the total amount of debts so far incurred by this…

NDIC To Revoke Licences Of 37 Weak Microfinance Banks
THE Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC), is set to revoke licences of 37 microfinance banks (MFBs), due to their inability to meet necessary regulatory conditions…