The House of Representatives on Tuesday said Nigeria must prioritise self-sufficiency in drugs, health commodities and vaccine production to be able to prepare for the next pandemic.
The House stated this at the plenary following the consideration and adoption of the report by its Ad Hoc Committee on COVID–19.
Adopting the report, the House resolved to convert the panel and rename it the Standing Committee on Epidemic and Pandemics, which will oversee relevant ministries, departments and agencies of the Federal Government.
The committee urged the government to treat health as business.
“The country to prioritise self-sufficiency in drugs, health commodities and vaccine production, in addition aim to be the main supplier of these in the West African sub-region.
“All molecular laboratories, intensive care centres, isolation wards and oxygen plants established across the country be maintained and updated regulatory so that the country will be ready for any eventually
“Public health emergency operation centres should be established at the federal and state levels and incident management systems be deployed to man these centres with personnel from health, environment, water resources, information, education, aviation/transportation and agric ministries. This will ensure the country will be in a state of readiness at all times for epidemics or pandemics.”
