Over one hundred and twenty existing pharmaceutical manufacturers in Nigeria are moribund and required urgent attention.
The Executive Secretary, Kwara state Health Insurance Agency, Dr. Olubunmi Jetawo-Winter stated this while delivering her key note address at the Industrial Pharmacists Week in Ilorin.
She said out of one hundred and eighty existing pharmaceutical industry only Sixty are in active manufacturing.
Dr Jetawo-Winter explained that despite the potential capacity of the industries to produce between 50 to 75 percent of the nation’s drug needs they only engage in packaging and repackaging.
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She said the country imports up to ninety percent of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient and equipment used for manufacturing of drugs.
Dr Jetawo-Winter also called for increased funding for health and improved pharmacovigilance in the country.
In his remark a pharmaceutical expert in Kwara state, Mr Isaac Salami, appealed to government at all levels to boost the pharmaceutical industries in the country.