As part of efforts to ensure steady supply of essential drugs in Nigeria, the National Association of Industrial Pharmacists of Nigeria (NAIP) has concluded plans to establish pharmaceutical manufacturing parks in the country.
The National Chairman of NAIP, Pharm Ignatius Anukwu disclosed this at the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Bloom Public Health.
According to him, the parks would reposition the Nigerian pharmaceutical industries to engage in manufacturing of essential medicines and strengthen the pharmaceutical supply chain system in the country.
The signing of the MoU is coming amidst fear of a global shortage of essential medicines from leading producers and exporters such as China and India, as a result of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
“This will revolutionize the Nigerian Pharmaceutical sector. Already, we have contracted the development of a business case for the establishment of the industrial parks, which is expected to be ready in a few months,” Pharm Anukwu said.
While lauding the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) for its recent interventions, he said the pharmaceutical association would take full advantage of the low-interest intervention funds.
He noted that with such infrastructure and capacity in place, Nigeria will be better equipped for epidemics and pandemics like COVID-19 with reasonable quantities of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs) and excipients in the country.
Also speaking, the CEO of Bloom Public Health, Prof Chimezie Anyakora said the impact of the disruption of the pharmaceutical supply chain as a result of the pandemic is huge and will be felt in months to come, adding that the MoU is a good step in the right direction.
He said the partnership was forged in line with the current actions of global health stakeholders in creating a long-term solution to address the current and future impact of COVID-19 on the global medicine supply chain.
“We are excited by the various quick interventions of different agencies of government to solve this problem. The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has stepped out strongly with finances to provide a solution and support the pharmaceutical industry.
“What NAIP is planning to do will complement this effort and bring long term impactful intervention that will get the country ready should there be another pandemic of this nature, and also complement all other interventions,” Prof Anyakora said.
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