Posted on: Thu 28-11-2024

As the challenges of drug availability and affordability continue to undermine the healthcare system, experts have advocated a shift from imports to enhance access to medicines, drug security, and economic growth.

In a recently launched revolutionary book on the pharmaceutical industry and drug production, the experts explored how local drug production can address major health issues like malaria, tuberculosis, and HIV/AIDS through domestic drug availability.

The book titled “The Pharmaceutical Industry and Drug Production in Nigeria” was written by the immediate past president of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) who is the Vice President of Nigeria Academy of Pharmacy, Ahmed Yakasai.

Speaking during the book launch, Yakasai said the book exhaustively explored and examined the challenges and opportunities in local drug production in Nigeria, as well as identified the challenges facing the local pharmaceutical industries in the production of drugs locally.

He explained that the book equally examined the way Nigeria can exploit the opportunities of the small-scale indigenous manufacturing plants and research institutes for the production of drugs in Nigeria.

The author added that the book can aid policymakers in formulating the right policies in the areas of enhancing the pharmaceutical industry in local production and also contribute to the existing body of healthcare knowledge including professionals, researchers, industry players, academia, students, development partners as well as the general public and patients alike.

The president of Nigeria Academy of Pharmacy, Prof Lere Baale, who reviewed the book, said the work provides a comprehensive exploration of the pharmaceutical industry in Nigeria, tracing its history, analysing its current state, and offering actionable insights for its future development.

He explained that the author employed his extensive expertise and experience to offer a well-researched and thoughtful exploration of the critical role the pharmaceutical sector plays in the country’s healthcare and economy.

According to Baale, the book underscores the need to shift from dependence on imported drugs to local production to enhance access to medicines, drug security, and economic growth.

While the author delved into issues like high production costs, inadequate infrastructure and inconsistent government support, Baale said he also acknowledged the progress made in Nigeria’s pharmaceutical sector while critically addressing shortcomings and proposing practical solutions for improved health outcomes.

Baale also noted a standout aspect of the book which focused on local solutions to Nigeria’s pharmaceutical challenges and emphasised the need for homegrown approaches considering Nigeria’s unique social, economic, and health contexts.

“Yakasai’s insights offer valuable guidance to government officials, business leaders, international partners, and pharma practitioners seeking the transformation of Nigeria’s pharmaceutical industry into a pillar of the nation’s healthcare system,” he concluded.

The Director General, National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Prof Mojisola Adeyeye, at the book launch revealed that working together with the author helped the agency to find out the top five pharmaceutical products imported and made in Nigeria, which has led NAFDAC to start the five-by-five increase in the capacity of local drug manufacturers.

According to Adeyeye, the findings have challenged some manufacturers to start producing Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs) locally. “Local manufacturing is access, but it’s not just access. It is access to quality products. It’s not just making tablets; it’s making tablets that will make you feel well,” she added.

The DG said that Nigeria’s drug importation has reduced by 60 per cent and will continue to improve to increase the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and decrease unemployment.

SOURCE: GUARDIAN NEWSPAPER

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