WHO Appoints Nigerian, Tomori, Member, Advisory Board On Covid

By Uche Mbah

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has appointed a Nigerian Professor of Virology, Oyewale Tomori, as a member of its Technical Advisory Group on COVID-19 Vaccine Composition.

In a statement issued Wednesday by the world body, WHO said the group advises on the methods to assess the impact of the variants of concerns on vaccines.

Tomori was formerly the Vice-Chancellor of Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun state.

“The group will elaborate on decision-making processes, the trigger for such decision making, and stakeholder roles and responsibilities,” the statement reads.

“Following discussions, the Executive Director of WHO recognizes the need to establish Technical Advisory Group on COVID-19 Vaccine Composition to make recommendations to WHO on the methods to assess the impact of the variants of concerns on vaccines.

“The Director, also, recognizes the need to provide interpretation of available evidence on the effect of variants of concerns on vaccines, including but not limited to vaccine effectiveness and recommend to WHO, for each COVID-19 vaccine platform, adaptations (if any) needed so that vaccines continue to safely provide WHO-recommended levels of protection against variants of concerns.”

Other members of the group include Supamit Chunsuttiwat, Advisor, Department of Disease Control, Ministry of Public Health, Thailand; Cheryl Cohen, a Professor of Epidemiology at the University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa; and Thomas Fleming, member of the Scientific Steering Committee for the WHO Solidarity COVID-19 Vaccines Trial.