NAFDAC, manufacturers move for production of vaccines, APIs

Major players in the nation’s pharmaceutical industry under the aegis of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Group- Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (PMG-MAN) have pledged to collaborate with the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) in its efforts to attain World Health Organisation (WHO) Maturity Level 4 status and launch Nigeria into the league of Vaccines and Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs) producers in the world.

The manufacturers, led by chairman of PMG-MAN, Dr. Fidelis Ayebae, commended the agency on achieving WHO Maturity Level 3, stressing that the group would do everything humanly possible to support in creating an enabling environment for the industry to thrive.

Ayebae, who is also Managing Director/ Chief Executive Officer of Fidson Healthcare Plc, pledged to galvanise other pharmaceutical bosses to work harmoniously with the regulator in delivering on its oversight functions and growing the industry.

He added that his body would raise a technical committee to partner NAFDAC for the industry to attain greater heights.

Director General of NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, at a hybrid stakeholders’ meeting organised by the agency in Lagos on pharmaceutical traceability, disclosed stressed that the nation needs to maintain the Maturity Level 3, got last year, by continually adhering to best global practices in regulatory responsibility.

“We are going to strengthen our operations and be more effective. We are going to get ML4. We are going to get marked for World Listed Authority apart from ML4,” she enthused.

Adeyeye, in a statement by Resident Media Consultant, Sayo Akintola, said NAFDAC just met the requirement of ML3, stressing: “While doing that, we got some requirements also certified under ML4. This means our journey is not going to be as difficult as the last four years.”

She emphasised the importance of WHO ML4, which according to her, would boost the trade aspect of Nigeria’s pharmaceutical industry without diminishing its health implications for the locals.

The NAFDAC boss said Nigerians would be more confident of medicines they consume afterward.

Adeyeye recalled that it took Ghana 13 years to get ML3, while it took Nigeria four years to attain the prestigious status, adding that achieving ML4 would enhance the most populous black nation’s manufacturing sector.