FG Will Support Local Manufacturing Of Pharmaceutical Products—Minister

The Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment, Mariam Katagum has said that the federal government through the Ministry in collaboration with key stakeholders is currently formulating a policy framework to support the local manufacturing of pharmaceutical products.

Katagum said in order to deepen support for the pharmaceutical and medical industry, the FG is also in support of the policy framework for the development of Health Industries Corporation of Nigeria .

She disclosed this at the 9th African day of standardization symposium, themed “Promoting the African pharmaceutical and medical devices industries through standardization.”

Katagum said that HICON is designed to provide the critical enabling environment that will attract investments for the growth and development of pharmaceutical and medical infrastructure in the country.

She said that through the implementation of HICON, the federal government will attract and incentivize local manufacturing of active pharmaceutical ingredients, medical and diagnostics devices.

The minister said, “To make healthcare affordable and accessible with good quality service delivery through strategies that would encourage private sector investments in healthcare and related industries.

“The health industry comprises of business activities in manufacturing, which includes drugs, medical devices or equipment; infrastructure, hospitals, lab design and construction as well as services: medical and nursing care, insurance and hospital management.”

“Setting up HICON as an institutional framework will fundamentally ensure Nigeria has successfully established capability and capacity in manufacturing active pharmaceutical ingredients, basic medical hardware and attract huge private investment into the health sector in the short to medium terms.

She added that it is one of the fastest and largest growing sectors in global economies, the foundation of the welfare system and one of the major factors for progress in the Human Development Index world-wide.

Katagum urged the seamless implementation of HICON as it will, however, be possible and practicable with strict adherence to the requirements of applicable standards at national, regional, continental and international levels.

She called for regular update of applicable standards in line with international best practices, strict regulatory regime and an ingenious approach to preventing the importation, manufacture and distribution of substandard pharmaceutical and medical devices.

The minister also directed the Standard Organization of Nigeria and all regulatory authorities involved in this industry to redouble efforts in ensuring that only goods and services that have complied with the laid down standards are available in the market.

She assured that SON will continue to get the much-needed support of the ministry to continue discharging its mandate.