Meningitis Outbreak: Encourage Local Vaccine Production, PSN Tells FG

The Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) has advised the Federal Government against too much indulgence in importation of vaccines especially at critical moments.Responding to questions by Journalists in Abuja, at the event of the inauguration of the new PSN EXCO/ Award night, the Societys President, Pharmacist Ahmed Yakasai blamed the outbreak of Meningitis on emergency epidemic non-preparedness.Yakasai further faulted the action of the federal government in relying on importation of vaccines from other countries, adding that it has done nothing but slow down the response against disease outbreak such as meningitis.His words, We should encourage local production of vaccines, we should create enabling environment so that our own people can produce, because we have the capacity and capability to produce locally;Why must we rely on importation of vaccine, we have to wait for other countries to quickly supply, India, Indonesia, we have to rush to here and there, then we have to receive donations,There is need for emergency epidemic preparedness; all the healthcare workers should be encouraged to undergo that training so that anytime the situation arises, it will be easy to address, he added.He further encouraged Nigerians to strictly observe good hygiene, washing of hands, sneezing in the elbow, avoid overcrowded places and avoid kissing, as the disease is very infectious.
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