COVID-19 vaccine promotes good health – NAFDAC
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control -NAFDAC says though vaccines go through complex production process, it promotes good health, saves lives and cost.
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The Director-General NAFDAC, Professor Christianah Adeyeye made the assertion at the virtual 11th Annual Symposium of Health Writers Association of Nigeria (HEWAN) held in Lagos.
Adeyeye, represented by Dr Monica Eimunjeze, Director, Drug Registration and Regulatory Affairs, NAFDAC, described vaccines as biological preparations produced from living organisms to enhance immunity against diseases.
She said that vaccines could eradicate diseases as immunisation eradicated smallpox, reduced wild polio by more than 99 per cent and global vaccine coverage was put at 86 per cent.
“Vaccines promote health, have expansive reach, rapid impact and save lives and costs.
“Annually, vaccines prevent more than 2.5 million child deaths globally, vaccination is one of the great public health achievements of human history, “she said.
Professor Adeyeye, who assured Nigerians of the efficacy and safety of Covid-19 vaccines, said that the agency would continue to monitor as a regulatory agency.
“The issue of safety and efficacy is key to vaccine production, it also requires involvement of experts as vaccines are not deployed without the approval of NAFDAC.”
“The agency has regulatory control for vaccines as it monitors and approve clinical trials, inspection of facility, licensing, testing and post- marketing surveillance and so the COVID-19 vaccines are safe,” Adeyeye said.
Also speaking, former Chief Medical Director of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital,
Professor Akin Oshibogun, said health writers had the responsibility of creating awareness and changing people misconceptions about Covid-19 vaccines.
“We carried out research to look for side effects of the vaccination across the country. We have followed up for about three to four months. I am happy to say that none of the vaccinated died or was hospitalised.”
“The Covid-19 vaccines are safe and the media need to report these facts to reduce vaccination apathy in the country,” he said
In his presentation titled “Regenerative Medicine, Benefits of Adult Stem Cell Therapy”, a physician, Dr David Ikudayisi urged Nigerians to embrace regenerative medicine for better health and reduction in medical tourism.
“Regenerative Medicine is a game-changing area of medicine with the potential to fully heal damaged tissues and organs in the body.”
“Adult Stem Cell therapy, which is a part of regenerative medicine, can effectively treat Autism, Diabetes, Hypertension, Stroke, Cerebral Palsy, Erectile Dysfunction, Female Infertility, Osteoarthritis, Chronic Joint Pain, among others.”
“I urged Nigerians especially the elite who spend millions of dollars annually on overseas treatment to embrace regenerative medicine for better health and reduction in medical tourism,” Ikudayisi said.
The symposium in Lagos had the theme: “Building Confidence in COVID-19 Vaccines, and the sub-theme: Addressing COVID-19 Hesitancy -The Role of the Media.
