The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) says following World Health Organisation’s certification, Nigeria is now prepared to manufacture internationally recognised vaccines.

NAFDAC director-general Mojisola Adeyeye gave the assurance during the oversight visit of the House of Representatives Committee on COVID-19 to the NAFDAC facilities and COVID-19 laboratory projects in Lagos.

Ms Adeyeye noted that with the agency now very strong with WHO Maturity Level 3 certification, “Nigeria can now make its vaccines, and we can assure the populace that there is quality in whatever is being manufactured because of NAFDAC’s strength”.

According to a statement issued on Sunday by Sayo Akintola, NAFDAC spokesperson, Ms Adeyeye described the federal government’s huge spending on the fight against COVID-19 as exemplified by the construction of the new laboratory, as a great achievement for the country.

“To ensure that the health sector is strengthened, NAFDAC must be strengthened. If the regulatory agency is not strengthened, the industry will not be strengthened.

“For vaccines, we are hoping that the vaccine facilities from the public-private partnership will soon happen, but if the regulatory agency is not strong, we can make the vaccine that will destroy our own people.”

On the impact the COVID-19 fund had made, she said, “this should resonate well with the whole country that if you put the right people in the right places, then the vision of the government can be realised.

 “Whatever approvals that are being given by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) on funding our activities, you can actually touch such, and this is what has happened here today.”

She commended the COVID-19 committee and the Healthcare Services Committee of the National Assembly for ensuring that NAFDAC, as a regulatory agency, is known internationally.

Speaking, chairman, House Committee on COVID-19, Haruna Mshelia, commended Ms Adeyeye and her management team for leveraging the latest technology to upgrade the agency.

“We have seen with our eyes how they have leveraged on latest technology to upgrade the organisation to a standard that is next to none in Africa. I think they need to be commended,” he said.

(NAN)