FG Urges Pharmacists to Facilitate Local Production of Drugs

The Federal Government has urged pharmacists in the country to explore innovative strategies that would facilitate local production of essential drugs that are required for its efficient universal health coverage programme. It also called out on stakeholders in the industry to partner government in its efforts to prepare Nigeria to cultivate pharmaceutical infrastructure that will ensure the availability of affordable, efficacious, quality and safe medicines.

The Minister of Health, Prof Isaac Adewole, said at the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) convention that government plans to establish a Centre for Pharmaceutical Advancement and Training. Also the establishment of a Bioequivalence Centre. Both centres would build the capacity of manufacturing pharmacists, quality assurance personnel and regulatory agency staff.

“The pharmaceutical manufacturers are hereby encouraged too work in close liaison with the Department of Food and Drug Services to build a strong advocacy on this matter and make the pharmaceutical sector a priority as well as protection of the industries within the ECOWAS Common External Tariff (ECT). This is to help improve trading along the West African Sub-Region,”Adewole said.

He added, “The Nigerian government through the Federal Ministry of Health has made efforts too build a strong pharmaceutical infrastructure promote the growth of the profession and the industry as well as strengthening of the health system for increased health outcomes.”