Why Nigeria should consider local manufacturing of drugs ― NAFDAC DG

 

THE Director-General (DG) of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration Control(NAFDAC), Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye on Friday, said local manufacturing of drugs in Nigeria will help reduce the proliferation of substandard and falsified medicines in the country.

 

This is even as she disclosed that the agency has seized and destroyed substandard and falsified products worth over N3 billion which included unwholesome foods and other unregulated products in the last one year.

Speaking in Abuja, at an event to mark her one-year anniversary as DG of the agency, Adeyeye stated that promotion of local manufacturing will help reverse the trend of 30% locally manufactured drugs towards 70 per cent.

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According to her, majority of the substandard and falsified(SFs) products are imported.

While stating the benefits of considering this, she said this will ensure drug security, reduce unemployment and increase contribution of the pharmaceutical industry to the nation’s GDP.

In view of this, she said the agency has taken steps through engagement of trade groups to work out a roadmap toward improving local manufacturing.

Others according to her, include; “discussion with international companies and chambers of commerce to invest in the country’s pharmaceutical industry through partnership and local manufacturing of drug products especially raw APIs and non-active pharmaceutical components.

“reinstatement of enforcement of five-plus-five year validity for drugs that can be manufactured in Nigeria. This was promoted many years ago but abandoned.

“ Presently conducting the survey on the capacity of all local manufacturers in order to know the needed therapeutics that can be locally produced and biosimilars that may need to be imported,” among others.