CBN To Fund Research On Nigerian Coronavirus Vaccine

The Nigerian apex bank will be funding a research for a Nigerian Coronavirus vaccine. The Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele made this known at the unveiling of THISDAY Dome testing, tracing, and treatment centre on Tuesday in Abuja. 

He said they are currently designing a framework which includes grants and long term facilities for “researchers, science institutions and biotechnology firms to develop the Nigerian Vaccine.”

Emefiele also revealed that the CBN recently launched a N100bn healthcare intervention fund and several initiatives such as the provision of one trillion naira facility for firms operating in the agriculture and manufacturing sectors, to cushion the effect of the Coronavirus pandemic.

The CBN Governor said;

“Needless to state that if we are to wait for foreign countries to develop their own vaccines, we will be the last in the queue to receive curative remedies for our teeming population.

“Practitioners in the Pharmaceutical and healthcare sectors will be able to access finance at a single-digit rate through this fund.

“We are also working with financial institutions to enable the continuous flow of credit to viable businesses while putting in place provisions such as moratoriums and restructuring of existing loans under CBN intervention funds, that have been provided to businesses.”

WHO Regrets Trump's Fund Suspension, Reveals Focus is on Saving Lives

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus was reacting to Trump’s announcement yesterday that he was placing “hold on all funding to the WHO while its mismanagement of the coronavirus pandemic is investigated.”

“We regret the decision of the president of the United States to order a halt in funding to the World Health Organization,” he told a press conference held via video link from Geneva.

“The United States of America has been a longstanding and generous friend to WHO, and we hope it will continue to be so,” said the WHO chief, who was accused by Trump of being China-centric.

According to Trump, China provides just about one-tenth of the WHO’s funding — $40 million — in comparison to the U.S. share of $400-$500 million.

Tedros said that with support “from the people and government of the United States,” the WHO is working to improve the health of many of the world’s poorest and most vulnerable people.

“The WHO is reviewing the impact on our work of any withdrawal of U.S. funding, and will work with our partners to fill any financial gaps we face to ensure our work continues uninterrupted,” he added.

He went on to say that the WHO is not only fighting coronavirus but also “polio, measles, malaria, Ebola, HIV, tuberculosis, malnutrition, cancer, diabetes, mental health, and many others.”

Tedros started his address with a reminder that world’s nations met to form the UN in 1945 at the end of the World War II.

“One of the first things they discussed was establishing an organization to protect and promote the health of the world’s people,” he said.