A team of Indian experts has been engaged to redesign the Cross River State Pharmaceutical Factory Limited to meet the World Health Organization, WHO, standard and global best practices.
The Governor of Cross River State in south-south Nigeria, Professor Ben Ayade, who conducted the experts round the facility, told some newsmen in Calabar, the capital city that he was determined to ensure the equipment and eventual production meets global standards with the adoption of Good Manufacturing Practices, GMP certification.
GMP are the practices required in order to conform to the guidelines recommended by agencies such as WHO, the National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC and the Standard Organization of Nigeria, SON that control authorization and licensing of the manufacture and sales of food, beverages, cosmetics, pharmaceutical products, dietary supplements and medical devices.
Technical partners
The governor described the team and the company ‘GMP Machineries and Packaging’ as competent and professional with a track record for the installation of pharmaceutical factories in the world.
He said, “the company was competitively selected as technical partners based on the competence and presence in Nigeria. They have a long standing experience in Nigeria and we have outsourced to them to give us the final milestone to the completion and actualization of this Cross River State pharmaceutical factory.”
Although the factory was at advanced stage of completion, Ayade disclosed that the structure had to undergo a redesigning phase in line with WHO requirements.
According to him, “we will require a bit of reconstruction because after the construction, based on the initial design, there was need for the factory to be redesigned completely to meet WHO standards for us to be able to supply drugs to refugees and IDP camps across the globe.”
He further explained, “NAFDAC has approved our design, which is a world- class design that allows you to separate the different sections of the pharmaceutical factory to meet international specifications. I am very proud that we are having a pharmaceutical factory that is a product of Cross River State innovative thinking.”
The governor said that products such as “antibiotics, eye drops, ointments, cosmetics and powders. We will produce all categories of drugs because we have all the different types of machines for all the different types of productions. It is a one-stop pharmaceutical factory.”
He said that with the level of installation going on, the factory would soon commence operations.
Meeting deadline
Earlier, the team leader, Dave Piyush of GMP Machineries and Packaging, ssaid that his company had the opportunity to drive the factory 18 months ago, but was delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic.
He said, “thanks to the governor, we have the official approval from the presidency to finish this factory within six months. We hope that this factory will be perfect for Nigeria as we are going to build according to WHO specifications and GMP standard. It will follow all procedures.”
On completion, Piyush said “the factory will be able to produce tablets, liquids, capsules, eye drops, and ointments. We intend to bring in more hands to enable us work faster and meet the six months deadline.”
Dominica Nwabufo
