By Dwelleth Morountodun
The Federal Government through the National Biotechnology Development Agency (NABDA), RAHA RVD Global Industries and Mesencell Biotechnology have signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) on deployment of stem cell therapy, cancer treatment for healthier and longer lives for Nigerians.
Acknowledging the country’s preparedness for the roll out of the regenerative medicine through firming up the legal framework at Headquarters of NABDA in Abuja, the Director General of the agency, Prof. Abdullahi Mustapha, Dr. Steven James Kellener and Dr. Chbihi Driss, averred that Nigerians from December 2022 can now access treatment of stem cell technology, cancer treatment and other regenerative diseases in the country thereby saving the country billions of naira.
On the partnarship, Mustappha, said: “We are partnering with them on the deployment of stem cell, bio-organic fertilizer, clean water technology for Nigerians which are key to national development.”
With the conclusion of the MoA, he admitted that government will immediately swing, adding that the foreign companies and collaborators are here and ready to deploy the technologies.
The NABDA boss said: “It is not about deployment alone, the skills will be learnt by NABDA staff and Nigerians. We have already started putting them on the track and that means that the technology will be in NABDA and our staff will be trained within and outside the country. So, we shall domesticate the technology and this is a pride on our part.”
On sustainability, he added: “We want to be sure that the technology is sustained here in Nigeria which means that all the staff that have been trained are capable of handling and inventing this technology because there are researches that will be involved.
“We are going to upgrade our laboratory. We have started with the basic equipment and the laboratory now is going to be to world standard of doing research on stem cell regenerative therapy and so this is another milestone that we have reached and so NABDA will be one centre that you can point at to see that whatever problem that we can solve in the country using stem cell regenerative therapy in NABDA we will research on it and then deploy it to the country.”
According to Mustapha, the MoA also has component in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector using bio-remediation technology on tank farms, adding:
“We are a countryhat export oil and these vessels that are being used in the country and instead of using chemicals to destroy our environment which is unquantifiable we use this micro-organism to bring back the slough into life to make crude oil out that meaning that we have saved Nigerians billions of dollars instead of wasting that crude but we have devised a technology that this crude oil will be recovered and then it could reused in the country. So, this is something that is saving the country quite a lot of money.
Answering questions at the sideline of the ceremony, the Mesencell Biotech boss, said: “We are bringing into Nigeria through NABDA, new ideas and technologies of regenerative medicine. Regenerative medicine offer the possibility to keep you healthy while regenerating your age.”
The main focus, Kellener, added is on staying healthy for longer years, that is the technology that we are bringing.
According to him, there has been Global increase in cancer development which means that we are actively researching and also doing cancer preventive treatment like vaccine for cancer.
“And of course, the big thing which is the big elephant in the room is the development of real proper vaccines. We have got a very firm research project on malaria on HIV as well as the new treatment of HIV with the new system and I think that could be a massive benefit here.”
On infrastructure…do you have it…
On the roll out and infrastructure, he said: “The first step is signing the Memorandum of Agreement (MoU). Everyone is happy, the Ministry of Health is coming onboard, and the Petroleum ministry is also being factored into the collaboration
“The next step for instance is that in the setting up for treatment of stem cell, we need a licence from the Ministry of Health and so that is the next step and next step is upgrading the NABDA facilities because they have got a lot of research activities here in Nigeria.
“As we keep doing the right thing it means that we need about 3 months to set up, which also means that regenerative therapy, anti-aging and cartilage regeneration the first vaccine trials on several thing is here. This is very exciting for Nigerians.” He said.
