the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) said it was ready to partner with refineries across the country to build local manufacturing capacity for essential medicines, including vaccines.

The professional group has also pledged to ensure that drugs that cannot be manufactured by local industries are readily available for use by Nigerians.

This was announced by the newly elected president of the PSN, Cyril Usifoh, during a press conference on Wednesday.

Mr. Usifoh, a specialist in pharmaceutical chemistry, said the Nigerian government should realize the importance of having petrochemicals capable of producing Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs).

“We hope that very soon we will make an advocacy visit to Dangote refineries to encourage him and others to make sure these things are in place. When we have refineries producing APIs, it becomes very easy to satisfy local industry whenever they need it.

“But when we import APIs, it becomes a problem. We need to have what I will call drug safety, or drug safety and that is along the lines of vaccines,” Mr Usifoh said.

Stressing the importance of local manufacturing, Mr Usifoh said that if a country does not have food and medical security and is also unable to produce what it needs or a higher percentage of what it needs it needs, this country could be in trouble.

He added: “During the Covid-19 pandemic, there were fundamental things that we did not have as a country. Thank God we were spared the calamity. But we knew we had to look within.

“We don’t throw away what we have. I talked about developing local herbal remedies for COVID-19. Now we will ensure that local manufacturing industries are supported not only in advocacy, but we want to know their needs and then be able to move forward with that.

Agenda

Speaking on his plans for Nigerians, the President said his executive will ensure improved relations with the government with a view to realizing the right of every Nigerian to pharmaceutical care.

Mr. Usifoh also said his executive committee will establish a National College of Postgraduate Pharmacists to complement their advisory executive program while also working with the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, the Pharmacists Council of Nigeria, NCP and other relevant stakeholders. .

“Institutionalizing the Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) program, improving the visibility of pharmacists, and continuing the pharmacy tower project and all other PSN business concerns are what we will work to achieve,” said added Mr. Usifoh.