CBN proposes grants and credit for researchers to develop coronavirus vaccine

Indigenous scientists and research institutes passionate about finding lasting remedies to the coronavirus pandemic would receive the financial backing of the Central Bank of Nigeria in doing so provided they are validated by health authorities.

Godwin Emefiele, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, stated at the inauguration of THIS DAY Dome Testing, Tracing and Treatment Centre in Abuja on Tuesday that the apex bank was developing a blueprint to stimulate greater research and development in a bid to combat the public health crisis.

“In order to encourage greater research and development in Nigeria of drugs and vaccines that would help prevent the spread of the virus, the CBN is developing a framework under which grants and long term facilities will be provided to researchers, science institutions and biotechnology firms to develop the Nigerian Vaccine.

“The Central Bank of Nigeria today challenges Nigerian scientists at home and in the diaspora to go back to their laboratories and develop a Nigerian vaccine,” he said.

According to him, the uncertainty surrounding the scale of the outbreak and how long it would last necessitated capacity building across the health sector at national, state and local levels for the sake of vulnerable Nigerians.

Stressing the significance of a massive campaign in overcoming the scourge, Mr Emefiele solicited for the solidarity of the Presidential Task Force to achieve this end.

” So far, the CA-COVlD-19 has raised up to N27 Billion to fund these initiatives. These donations are being used to build well-equipped isolation centres across the 36 states of the federation.

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“The THISDAY Dome Testing, Tracing and Treatment Centre being launched today (Tuesday) represents a part of the support being provided by the CA COVID alliance.

“These measures will result in the addition of close to 4,000 hospital beds across the country and will serve as a significant boost towards our efforts at containing the spread of COVlD-19,” he said.

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