By: Joseph A. Adudu, March 14, 2022
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| Dr. Sunday Obong Etukudoh, Provost Federal School of Medical Laboratory Science Technology (FSMLST) Jos |
The Provost of the Federal School of Medical Laboratory Science Technology (FSMLST) Jos, Dr. Sunday Obong Etukudoh has been tasked to play a critical role in COVID-19 vaccine production.
The task was given by the Hon. minister of health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire who was in Jos with his agriculture counterpart on a visit to National Veterinary Research Institute (NVRI) Vom on Human COVID-19 vaccine production. Recall that Nigeria was selected by the World Health Organization (WHO) as one of the four countries in Africa to go into COVID-19 vaccine production.
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| Dr Etukudoh at NVRI Vom mini Conference Hall during presentation by the Executive Director of the Institution Dr. Maryam Muhammad on the occasion of official visit of the Hon. Ministers of Health and Agriculture on Human COVID-19 vaccine production on Friday 11th March, 2022 |
According to the minister of health, the Federal Government used to produced
vaccines in Yaba, Lagos State but the facility was shutdown since 1992 for
renovation but later abandoned completely. He said this was proberbly due to so
much oil money Nigeria was making then and much emphasis was placed on
importation rather than looking inward to produce locally. "And so the
facility was abandoned because we didn't know we would one day need that
facility.
"By the time we started reviving and restructuring the facility, it was
decided that it should be done in collaboration with the private sector.
"So, out of that convenience, the Federal Government and the private
sector set up a combine Nigerian Vaccine Ltd but nothing has been produced yet
because it's just about to take-off.
"However, we said we have other possibilities in other places. We know
Vom very well because it is very famous for production of animal vaccines for a
very long time.
"This is the reason why I and the Hon. Minister of agriculture are
here. To explore the possibility of moving fast because as you just heard, WHO
picked us as one of the countries to get methodology for the mNRA platform.
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| From right: Dr. Muhammad Abubakar, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, Minister of Health, Dr. Sunday Obong Etukudoh, Provost FSMLST Jos on inspection of facilities at NVRI Vom |
"The mNRA platform is something that is important and it is going to
have a lot of potentials to use, not only for COVID-19 but for other antigens
and they are already talking about the possibility of it working on malaria, TB
vaccines and other tropical diseases. This is why we are here today".
Speaking further, the minister said, "I am also pleased to see here the
Provost of our laboratory training centre in Jos, Dr. Sunday Etukudoh.
"You have a prominent role to play and the role you would play here
would be how to analyse and work with the team also. This is the time all hands
must be on deck because we have loss thousands of people to COVID-19", the
Minister said.
FSMLST Jos was established about 70 years ago. It has the mandate to train
Medical Laboratory Scientists who would provide accurate diagnosis. Despite
lean resources, the Provost, Dr. Etukudoh has been able to achieved a lot in
terms of infrastructural development and manpower training. This in turn has
reflected in the high quality of graduates the school produced most of who are
occupying top positions in universities and research Institutions in and
outside Nigeria.
African Drum would soon publish a comprehensive report
on calls by critical stakeholders to the Federal Government to ensure urgent
release of funds for the completion of capital projects in the school.
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| Research Laboratory at the Permanent site of FSMLST Jos abandoned since 1985 |
Consequently, with the additional responsibility to the Provost on COVID-19
vaccine production, perhaps the federal government would see the urgent need to
release funds for the completion of capital projects most especially, the multi
million naira Research and Molecular Laboratories that have been abandoned
since 1985.
The completion of capital projects in the school would in addition to
achieving FG's desire of timely production of COVID-19 vaccine, would surely
boost its image as the only College of Federal Medical Science in Nigeria and
West Africa sub-region. Being the only College in the sub-region, the
completion of projects would make the Institution an educational tourist
destination thereby, attracting people from other African states for
training, research and exchange programs.
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