FG Prioritising Improved Healthcare Post COVID-19, says Osinbajo

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on Thursday said getting the COVID-19 vaccine is a matter of utmost concern to the Buhari administration.

Prof. Osinbajo said this at the opening session of the virtual edition of the Paris Peace Forum which featured presentations by some Heads of State and government alongside international organizations, on a collective response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

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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.

“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.”

Osinbajo, while appreciating leaders across the world for their prompt response and cooperation in controlling the spread of the COVID-19, said “the sheer scale of disruptions to our lives and livelihoods caused by COVID-19 certainly caught us all by surprise.”

The Vice President, who reiterated the call for debt relief for developing countries, 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.

“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.”

The Vice President, who had in previous international forums earlier in the year made a case for debt relief for developing countries, said “the Debt Servicing Support Initiative of the G20 is welcome and will no doubt bring some relief to relevant African countries. However, it remains inadequate because it does not address the problem of commercial debt service obligations.”

He assured that Nigeria stands with all countries of the world, in the effort to eradicate the virus, and leverage experiences for a healthier and more prosperous world.

The Paris Peace Forum is an annual event that features leaders and actors from civil society around the world with a focus on challenges facing the world – climate change, terrorism, migration, cyber insecurity, and global governance issues among others.