The World Health Organisation (WHO) says Nigeria has been selected as one of six countries to receive technology that is needed to produce MRNA (messenger ribonuclieic acid) vaccines.
Gatekeepers News reports that this was disclosed in a statement by the organisation director-general, Tedros Ghebreyesu.
Ghebreyesus disclosed this at the European Union — African Union summit in Brussels on Thursday.
The messenger ribonuclieic acid technology is used in producing COVID-19 vaccines.
The other recipients of the technology include Egypt, Kenya, Senegal, South Africa and Tunisia
MRNA vaccines are different from most vaccines which contain a weakened or inactive piece of the target virus which triggers the production of antibodies.
Ghebreyesus said the COVID-19 pandemic has shown that reliance on a few companies to supply global public goods is limiting and dangerous.
“In the mid- to long-term, the best way to address health emergencies and reach universal health coverage is to significantly increase the capacity of all regions to manufacture the health products they need, with equitable access as their primary endpoint,” he said.
