By Joseph Erunke THE National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development, NIPRD, has attributed its inability to produce a vaccine to tackle pandemics in the country to lack of sponsorship. This was as it expressed displeasure over what it referred to as “underutilisation of human resources and capacity in the institute due to lack of funding to develop and produce phytomedicine and vaccines to protect Nigerians against pandemics.” The agency’s Director-General, Dr. Obi Adigwe, at a media briefing, Monday, in Abuja, said if there were sponsorship, his organisation would be capable to produce phytomedicine and vaccines to fight pandemics, especially COVID-19 in the country.