How concessions will boost local production of drugs, by Obasa

• Plans to deworm 40,000 school pupils nationwide to mark 40th anniversary, as part of company’s Corporate Social Responsibility

Chairman of Biomedical Pharmaceuticals Limited, Hon. Idowu Obasa, has called on the government to grant pharmaceutical companies concessions to fast-track the reach of medical facilities so that pharmaceutical products would not be treated like other goods to enable suppliers and users to get medication timely.

Obasa noted that since the country solely depends on importation of drugs, the Federal Government should give manufacturers of pharmaceutical products access to forex, loans from the central bank and protect pharmaceutical companies so that they will not be treated like any other product for the benefit of the populace.

He made this known at a press conference held in Lagos on the commemoration of its 40th anniversary, stating that the focus of the company has reduced dependence on importation of some foreign drugs.

Obasa said at a time when dependence on foreign pharmaceutical companies for drugs and other medicaments production was high, when most medicines were being imported into the country and production of drugs were dominated by foreign multinationals, it was able to venture into manufacturing of intravenous fluids to improve healthcare delivery, adding that the anniversary offers an opportunity to salute the courage of the visioner, Dr. Farouk Abdulazeez, without whose determination the feat attained by the firm would have been impossible.

Obasa explained that the ultra-modern syrup factory located in Ilorin, Kwara State, scheduled to be launched August, 27, was made possible through the intervention of the Bank of Industry (BOI), which encourages local industrial production and value creation through manufacturing.

“BOI made this one possible and in spite of our general misgivings about the workings of Nigerian institutions, the BOI proved to be different at least as far as the syrup factory of Biomedical is concerned. They walked into the factory, offered to assist and went through the entire process clinically and professionally and today we are about to formally present 22 new syrups to the market, with more to come,” Obasa said.

Meanwhile, as part of a research and development effort to aid patients with kidney failures conduct dialysis, he revealed that the firm is producing Continuous Ambulatory Peritoneal Dialysis (CAPD), which helps patients do self-dialysis without visiting dialysis centres.

“There is a particular product that is produced which Biomedical is the only one producing in Nigeria today. It is called CAPD. It helps people to self-dialysis. You know dialysis is a very serious renal problem in Nigeria today. Many people die because they have no access to dialysis. Access in terms they cannot afford, there are not enough dialysis centres but this particular product has been able to allow each person to handle his/her dialysis independently,” he said.

Speaking on the organisation’s commitment to providing more care options for Nigerians, Obasa said Biomedical plans to deworm 400,000 school pupils across the country as part of the Company’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).