AMLSN tasks govt, private sector on local production of vaccines

The Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria (AMLSN), have tasked governments and the private sector on the urgent need to begin local production of vaccines and reagent.

The call was made during the 4th annual Medical Laboratory Scientists Week, of the Bayelsa State Chapter of AMLSN in Yenagoa the state capital with the theme, “Reagent Manufacturing: The neglected Medical Laboratory Practice in Nigeria.”

The National President AMLSN, Prof. James Damen, said with the inflation and high foreign exchange rate, it was imperative for government and private sector investors to be involved in the production in reagents as it will not only conserve foreign exchange but also ensure that environmentally adaptative reagents are produced in-country with quality control.

Prof Damen, who was represented by the AMLSN Board of Trustee Member representing South South and Head of Medical Laboratory Services, Federal Medical Centre, Yenagoa, Dr. Solomon Idere, regretted that it was sad that the country which used to export vaccines to the West African sub-region in the seventies are now importing same.

He lamented that in the process of importation of reagents and vaccines the cold chain could be broken and contaminated such that it may be not be suitable for the specific clinical usage.

He said, “Reagents are needed for diagnostic purposes and it is only in the laboratory that we can give empirical evidence and for correct empirical evidence t be generated there must be standardized reagents.

“What will make Nigeria to conserve foreign exchange is to go into local production of reagents because if we produce reagents that are standardized we find out that we are sure of the quality.

“If we standardized our reagents we may export it to the West African sub-region. Nigeria was noted for that, in the seventies we manufacture and export vaccines to the rest of West Africa but now because of government nonchalant to research and development and now we are importing vaccines.

“How can we produce vaccines then when the academic standards and the knowledge acquired and sophistication is not as high as now but we cannot produce because the government is not having the political will to execute those things.

“Government and the private sector should come in and invest in the local production of reagents, the man power is there and when we produce it no investor will run at a loss because of the high patronage and rapid turnover that it will enjoy.

“The cold chain will be maintained, our antigens and antibodies production will really match with the people that are living here and you find out that it is a win situation for the government and people because medical service to the people will be enhanced and better living.”

Prof. Ferdinand Ezeiruaku, Professor of Chemical Pathology, Niger Delta University, Bayelsa State, said laboratory regeant manufacturing should be an integral part of medical laboratory practice in Nigeria as it is the substance used to measure, detect, or create other substance during a chemical reaction conducted in the laboratory.

He said the World Health Organisation,WHO, global medium term programme, encourages countries to start their own local production of simple basic reagents for health laboratory services.

Vanguard