Nigeria, USP Partner to Boost Local Pharmaceutical Production
In a significant move to boost Nigeria’s healthcare sector, the Presidential Initiative for Unlocking the Healthcare Value Chain (PVAC) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the US Pharmacopeial Convention (USP).
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Muhammad Pate, revealed this in a post on his X handle on Monday.
According to the minister, the partnership aims to establish a centralised facility for bioequivalence studies and advanced analytical laboratory services, ensuring the quality of locally produced pharmaceuticals and reducing import dependence.
Mr Pate said the initiative targets 70 per cent local production and the creation of 30,000 new jobs by 2030, driving economic growth and improving health outcomes.
He said the partnership with USP will boost local pharmaceutical production and regulatory oversight, aligning with health sector renewal initiatives.
He said: “Through the MoU, we will enable the local production of complex formulations and enhance regulatory oversight capabilities via the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control.
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“This aligns with the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative (NHSRII) and the Renewed Hope Agenda. As we charge ahead with our goal to reimagine Nigeria’s health sector one sure step at a time.”
Mr Pate thanked the Coordinator of PVAC, Abdu Mukhtar, and the Vice-President USP Global Health, Jude Nwokike, for promoting the quality of medicines and their unwavering commitment to the transformative partnership.
Nigeria’s healthcare sector faces numerous challenges, including a heavy reliance on imported pharmaceuticals, limited local production capacity, quality control issues with locally produced medicines, inadequate regulatory oversight, and a brain drain in the healthcare sector.
To address these challenges, the Nigerian government launched the PVAC. This initiative aims to improve healthcare outcomes, increase local production, and reduce import dependence by unlocking the healthcare value chain from research to production.
USP is a non-profit scientific organisation that sets standards for pharmaceutical quality, provides training, testing, and certification for pharmaceutical manufacturers, and has a global presence with offices in the US, Africa, Asia, and Latin America.
