Nigeria is to collaborate with the Republic of Cuba on drug and vaccine production in order to provide Nigerians with qualitative drugs to enhance healthcare delivery in the country.
The minister of Science and Technology, Dr, Ogbonnaya Onu stated this today while receiving the Cuban Ambassador to Nigeria Carlos Trejor in his office as the ambassador paid the minister a courtesy call in his office.
Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu expressed that “by cooperating with Cuba we will benefit in the area of drugs and vaccines which will help to prolong the life of our citizens and life expectancy of Nigerians will be one of the best in the world. Cuba has been able to find vaccines which other countries have not done and in terms of health care Cuba is ranked very high in the world”
According to the minister, “the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology has the responsibility to make sure that our health care services are efficient through research and innovations.
“We should also be able to maintain the equipment used in hospitals and also grow research to encourage local manufacturing of drugs which will help to strengthen our economy, help to diversify and also help us to migrate from this resource based to a knowledge based innovations economy”.
Dr. Onu reiterated that the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology is utilizing the available resources within the agencies to make sure that Nigeria produce food needed in the country.
He also added that the ministry is making sure drug used by Nigerians are produced here in Nigeria so that Nigerians can get treatment in Nigeria.
The Minister said that the cooperation between Nigeria and Cuba on research innovation and drugs manufacturing will be for the good of our people and for the benefit of mankind.
In his own address, the Cuban Ambassador to Nigeria Carlos Trejor expressed the readiness of his country to partner with in health sector in order to reduce the rate at which Nigerians travel abroad for medical treatment.
“We are to work with Nigeria in the health care system apart from drugs production and all other things so that many Nigerians who have been traveling abroad looking for treatment that could be managed in Nigeria will look back” Trejor said.
“We are trying to pay back our historical debt to Africa by bringing what we have achieved in many years, Cuba is highly involved in Africa, we are engaged in the plans of 53 African Nations. We are giving to Africa whatever is available to Cuba, to our brothers and sisters in this continent”
He added that Nigeria is capable of attracting serious technological investors that will invest in the field of science and technology.
He said: “We know Nigerians are very well ready and prepared to assume all new technologies and the population of Nigeria is highly in need of so many things.
“We did not come to Nigeria to teach, Cuba will come to Nigeria to share because you do not come to the land of your ancestors to teach them how to do and what to do we come to share and give respect to our ancestors.
Mr. Trejor concluded that “It is very important that the excellent relationship that we have cultivated over the years since independence of Nigeria now become the basis to operate in other areas which is of utmost importance for Cuba and Nigeria”.