Osinbajo harps on need for COVID-19 vaccine

 

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, has stated that one of Nigeria’s main priorities now is getting the COVID-19 vaccine.

Prof. Osinbajo stated this on Thursday at the opening session of the virtual edition of the Paris Peace Forum which featured presentations by some Heads of State & government alongside international organisations, on a collective response to the COVID-19 pandemic, ChannelsTV writes.

Listing Nigeria’s priorities in its COVID-19 response, the Vice President said “the priorities of Nigeria in the post-COVID-19 era include improved healthcare and the economy. First, we need to keep the virus under control. While our guards are still firmly in place, getting the COVID-19 vaccine is a matter of utmost concern.”

According to him, “On this, we are encouraged by the efforts of WHO and other international agencies working to ensure that vaccine delivery will be equitable across all countries, regardless of the priority of orders and ability to pay.”

Underscoring the importance of prioritizing interventions and investments in the healthcare system, the Vice President said “we are encouraging private investment to upscale our health sector, with emphasis on improved facilities and affordable universal healthcare.”

Restating the call for debt relief for developing countries, the Vice President said “the pandemic underscores the need for adequate financial buffers to cope with the ‘black swan’ events. For many developing countries, the debt burden makes this all but impossible.”

Continuing, Prof. Osinbajo noted, “We call for debt relief for these countries, and the extension of the Debt Service Suspension Initiative (DSSI) at least until the end of 2021 as well as commercial debt relief where needed.”