The Federal Government has been called upon to give support to the local production of syringes and needles as opposed to the importation of the products.
This call was made by the Senate at a meeting in Abuja with industry stakeholders present.
Following the resolution to push for the support of the local production of syringes, the Senate Committee on Health alongside the ministry of industry, trade, and investment launched an investigation into claims by members of the Medical Device Manufacturers Association of Nigeria that the government had failed to purchase syringes made in the country.
The Health Minister, Osagie Ehanire, was tasked with the development of a policy that “will make it mandatory for all federal health institutions, the FMCs, and teaching hospitals to use locally manufactured syringes and needles.”
In his response, the minister said that the government was in support of the motion, as that would ensure that Nigerians were employed.
Ehanire said, “We are in support of the move to encourage local manufacturing of syringes and needles because it is the best way to create jobs and take Nigerians out of poverty.”
Speaking on the move by the Senate, the President of Medical Devices Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, Syringe, Akin Oyediran, assured that the association had the capacity to produce the needed amount of syringes and needles in Nigeria.
He said, “We have the capacity to produce the required syringes and needles that we need in the country.
“One of the manufacturers in Nigeria, the Jubilee Syringe which I am the MD is the largest manufacturers of Syringes in Africa.
“We have just been approached by other countries in Africa to please export our syringes to them. There is no doubt about having the capacity.
“We welcome the move by the Senate asking the minister of health to come up with a policy that would give exclusive rights to the local manufacturers of syringes to produce the products for all federally funded health institutions in Nigeria.
“The local manufacturers are actually the highest supplies of syringes and needles for hospitals. There is no point why government hospitals should use imported syringes when we have the locally manufactured ones.”
