THE Federal Government has challenged Pharmacists in Nigeria to work towards large scale production of drugs within the country.
Minister of Science and Technology, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu, gave this challenge when the executive members of the Nigeria Association of Pharmacists in Academia paid him a courtesy visit in his office in Abuja.
He noted that requisite regulation and monitoring of quality of drugs by regulatory agencies in the country could only be effective when Nigeria started large scale production of drugs locally.
He said the idea of local production was critical to the fight against poverty and that it would enable job and wealth creation. He consequently charged them to venture into entrepreneurship in addition to their teaching vocation, saying this would give them the leverage to convert their research findings into products.
Onu frowned at the rate at which Nigerians travel outside the country for medical treatment and urged the pharmacists to take the advantage of the large market in the country to produce drugs used locally.
The minister commended the body for its contribution to national development, adding that his ministry was committed to supporting any organisation that supported the drive towards a knowledge based and innovation–driven economy.
Earlier, the national chairman of the association, Professor Matins Emeje, said the organisation was determined to ensure Nigeria produced her own pharmaceutical products for local consumption.
He said that the organisation was the umbrella body of pharmacists who taught and also researched into pharmacy.
and then