FG seeks support of PSN for vaccines manufacturing

Minister of State for Health, Dr. Olorunimbe Mamora has called on the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) to work with the Federal Government towards making Nigeria a regional hub for vaccines manufacturing in Africa.

He also stressed the need to make Nigeria self-sufficient in the production of finished pharmaceuticals and Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs).

At the inauguration of a new president and investiture of new fellows of the PSN in Abuja, Mamora observed that the COVID-19 pandemic has shown that the country cannot continue to rely on importation of about 70 per cent of her gross domestic need of finished and APIs.

“We must collectively change this narrative by making Nigeria self-sufficient in the production of finished pharmaceuticals and APIs. The Federal Ministry of Health is determined to achieve this and looks forward to partnering the pharmacists”.

The minister, who said the ministry was seriously working to acquire capacity for local vaccines manufacturing, appealed to the PSN to partner with the government to ensure that the objective is realised.

According to Mamora, the ministry is currently partnering with May & Baker Nigeria Plc in a Public Private Partnership (PPP), which birthed the Biovaccines Nigeria Limited (BVNL)- a special purpose vehicle towards local vaccines manufacturing.

He noted that “the pharmaceutical sector is a critical component of the national security architecture and we must do our best to bequeath a viable and competitive pharma-sector to the generations unborn.”

In keeping with this desire, he said the Federal Ministry of Health ensured the creation of the new pharmacists consultant cadre for public and civil servants, adding that the cadre confirms the place of specialisation in pharmacy practice, especially in the clinical settings.

The minister said the pharmacists cadre would lead to better patient management outcomes and contribute to the improvement of the nation’s health indices while the ministry ensure the training of community pharmacists to prepare them for the emerging roles of pharmacists and pharmacies in national immunisation programme and primary healthcare services in line with the global trends.