Posted on: Tue 15-12-2020

Nigeria was among the countries in Africa that frantically produced a Yellow fever vaccine and was able to isolate the first human virus in a makeshift laboratory in Lagos. In 1925, the Rockefeller Foundation had established the West Africa Yellow Fever Commission to research yellow fever and was headquartered in Lagos with a laboratory in Yaba in Lagos and Accra. During the research, a yellow fever survivor named Asibi from the small town of Kpeve, Ghana provided his own blood for the research. From Asibi’s blood the yellow fever virus called the “Asibi strain” was isolated. 

This marked a historic moment in the fight against yellow fever. Sadly, decades after, the laboratory has become a shadow of itself.  Today, the world is searching for effective vaccines for COVID-19, HIV, and other infectious diseases, but nothing seems to be happening in Nigeria.  Good Health Weekly spoke to Prof. James Damen, the newly elected National President of the Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria, whose members were at the forefront of the vaccine laboratory years ago..  forefront of the vaccine laboratory years ago.

Renowned Laboratory scientists were among the drivers of yellow fever vaccine production in Nigeria in the past; today the laboratory in Yaba is moribund. What is your take on this? The story of the vaccine laboratory at Yaba, Lagos is one that brings nostalgia to every patriotic Nigeria who witnessed those early good days. As professionals, we know that with the right policies, political will, and necessary investments; vaccine production can commence again in Yaba and even other institutions. 

Our profession is making strong advocacies to the relevant persons and offices to see that the centre is revitalised and resuscitated; we are also developing additional human capacity to ensure that modern trends in vaccine production are factored in once the centre commences production again.

In the face of Covid-19, does Nigeria currently have what it takes to research and manufacture vaccines?

Yes, Nigeria has all it takes to research and manufacture COVID-19 vaccines and any other of such vaccines. It is common knowledge that a good number of those leading the development of the Covid vaccine globally are Nigerians; why then is it difficult for them to reciprocate same when they find themselves at home? The government needs to give a strong political will and entrench inter-professional harmony so that health professionals will see themselves as one and work for the common good of patients at all times.

COVID-19 Vaccine

Accessibility of vaccines will continue to be a challenge globally and not only in Nigeria. However, I am convinced that Nigeria has shown strong commitment and will since the emergence of the COVID- 19 pandemic and will definitely be part of the early countries to access the vaccine for usage. Our global immunisation programme has also made it easier for us to understand the dynamics involved in this. 

Nigeria has been a key player in the usage of vaccines globally. Recall that just recently we were certified polio-free by the WHO. Prior to the certification and even now, lots of immunisation activities have been happening in the country up to the grassroots level and this has helped the vaccines logistics, cold chain and supply chain system for the country.  So, I will say that we are even the best fit to handle whatever it is that has to do with the vaccine in terms of maintaining its efficacy and potency. We have the systems in place already

Way forward

The way forward is to strengthen the health workforce, increase funding to the health sector and improve the motivation of the health workforce. The health care workers need a conducive working environment and functional facilities if they must discharge their duties efficiently. Also, the government needs to rethink the motivation of its health workforce, the Nigerian health care workers are amongst the least motivated in the world.

COVID-19 response

I will say that the government has shown the strong will and has so far done well in the COVID-19 response. We have seen the government move from about one or two PCR molecular labs in the early days of the pandemic to having at least one PCR or GeneXpert lab in every state of the federation, some even have two. 

We have also seen high-level coordination led by the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 with constant and timely information/interface with the public. While we acknowledge that much has been done, we still believe that more can still be done.

Yellow fever

The re-emergence of yellow fever across the country could be attributed to either an improved surveillance system or as a result of some change in the eco-system. We expect the government to do the following in response to the increased number of yellow fever cases we are recording. 

The government should increase investment in health infrastructure, particularly in our diagnostic capacity. Every tertiary health facility should be adequately equipped with molecular diagnostic equipment manned by qualified Medical Laboratory Scientists. This will help in ensuring there is an early and timely diagnosis of cases   The government should show strong political will in revitalizing the Federal Vaccine Laboratory in Yaba, Lagos State. The country needs to start the production of local vaccines and reduce the over-dependence on foreign donors.

Source: Vanguard

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