The Federal Government of Nigeria has pledged its commitment to transforming Nigeria’s pharmaceutical sector into a globally competitive industry, emphasizing its role in achieving Universal Health Coverage.
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Speaking at the High-Level Stakeholders’ Dialogue themed “Building a World-Class Pharma Sector” in Lagos, the Honourable Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Kunle Salako, outlined strategic initiatives aimed at revitalizing the sector.
Dr. Salako described the pharmaceutical sector as critical to Nigeria’s healthcare system and economic growth, stressing the need to address existing challenges such as regulatory bottlenecks, limited financing for innovation, inadequate infrastructure, and supply chain vulnerabilities.
“Without a strong pharmaceutical sector, universal health coverage will remain a mere rhetoric”. He stated.
The Minister highlighted progress made under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, including the Presidential Initiative on Healthcare Value Chain (PVAC) and executive orders aimed at supporting the industry.
These reforms, he said, are designed to foster innovation, enhance local manufacturing, and reduce Nigeria’s dependence on imported medicines.
Dr. Salako reiterated the government’s commitment to strengthening public-private partnerships, creating an enabling environment for research and development (R&D), and ensuring equitable access to medicines.
He also underscored the importance of a collaborative approach involving government agencies, private stakeholders, research institutions, and international organizations to address gaps and catalyze growth.
“Our goal is to build a robust pharmaceutical sector capable of meeting domestic demand and establishing Nigeria as a leader in the sub-region”. He said.
The dialogue, organized by the Nigeria Pharmaceutical Research and Development Agency, brought together key stakeholders to synthesize ideas and develop actionable strategies for the sector.
Dr. Salako commended the agency’s leadership for their efforts and pledged regular updates on the outcomes of the dialogue.
He expressed confidence that the government’s prioritization of local pharmaceutical production would soon yield results, significantly reducing the country’s reliance on imports.
Dr. Salako assured that the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare would continue to work closely with partners and stakeholders to achieve medicine security and universal health coverage by 2030.
The Minister urged stakeholders to ensure the dialogue leads to tangible progress, emphasizing that a strong pharmaceutical industry is essential for improving health outcomes, creating jobs, and building a resilient healthcare system for the future.
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