Buhari Challenges Pharmacists On Local Production Of Drugs

The Federal Government has charged pharmacists in the country to explore innovative strategies that would support local production of essential drugs that are required for its efficient universal health coverage programme.

Government also called 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.

Minister of Health, Prof Isaac Adewole, while addressing the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) at the investiture of new fellows in Abuja, at the weekend, also announced that government plans to establish a Centre for Pharmaceutical Advancement and Training. He also announced plans to establish a Bioequivalence Centre.

Both centres, he would be channeled to further build the capacity of manufacturing pharmacists, quality assurance personnel and regulatory agency staff.

Adewole said, “I will like to throw a challenge to PSN members tonight on President Muhammadu Buhari’s Universal Health Coverage agenda. The aim is to deliver basic healthcare to about 100million Nigerians using one primary healthcare per ward strategy.

“My challenge is that PSN should work and collaborate with the Federal Government of Nigeria to implement this ambitious health service delivery for the country.”

He promised government’s support to supporting indigenous pharmaceutical industries to be given special status so that essential drugs would be regarded as security items.

“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.”