Stakeholders in the pharmaceutical sector are urging President Bola Tinubu to expand the State of Emergency declared on food security to include indigenous medicine. This call came during a three-day pharmaceutical training event titled "Nigerian Pharmaceutical Manufacturers’ Quality Improvement and Capacity Building (part 2)," held in Lagos.
These stakeholders argue that indigenous medicine and agriculture are interconnected, emphasizing that such a declaration would be instrumental in advancing the nation's pharmaceutical industry.
Professor Martins Emeje, the guest speaker at the event, encouraged pharmacists to apply the knowledge they acquire abroad to domestic contexts. He stressed the importance of pre-qualification training and the development of indigenous drugs for the growth of the pharmaceutical sector.
Emeje noted, "160 million people in Nigeria lack access to foreign drugs. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), approximately 80% of people in developing countries rely on traditional and herbal medicine. In our country, the development of traditional medicine requires support from both the government and the private sector."
Regarding the call to extend the State of Emergency to indigenous medicine, he explained, "Our indigenous medicine and agriculture cannot be separated. Our indigenous medicine encompasses our plants, animals, and soil, which are integral to agriculture."
Professor Chimezie, the Executive Officer of Bloom Public Health, praised the government's support for the training and emphasized that pharmaceutical manufacturers should also contribute to the effort. He stated, "The purpose of this training is to ensure that people are empowered to produce high-quality medicines. This will strengthen Nigeria's position, moving us away from being a dumping ground. It's a significant endeavor, and I'm pleased that the Nigerian government is backing it."
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