By Abujah Racheal
January 24, 2020
FG to support partnerships between multinationals, local pharmaceutical manufacturers in Nigeria
The Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH),has expressed resolve to support partnerships between multinationals and local manufacturers of pharmaceutical products in the Country.
Sen. Adeleke Mamora, Minister of State, FMOH, gave the assurance in a statement issued by the Assistant Director of Press and Publicity of the ministry, Eunice Akro, on Friday in Abuja.
Mamora reportedly made the statement during a courtesy visit by a team from GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) Plc, a multinational healthcare company, led by its Managing Director (MD), Kunle Oyelana
The Minister commended the team for taking the initiative to partner with local companies to enable them grow their capacity to global standards.
“Such initiative is commendable, especially as it concerns the use of local content and generation of employment opportunities for locals.
He also expressed government’s desire for continuous partnership with the organisation on issues of national benefits.
“We need ourselves in this partnership, as Government cannot do it alone,” he said.
Oyelana had earlier stated that the objective of the visit was to avail the Ministry of the current changes to the GSK Nigeria operational model.
He mentioned the recently announced local contract manufacturing agreement with a publicly quoted Nigerian pharmaceutical manufacturing company, Fidson Nigeria Ltd.
He said that the move sought to improve Nigeria’s local pharmaceutical manufacturing capacity utilisation and competitiveness.
He added that it would also deliver significant technology transfer in line with government’s plans to grow competitive local manufacturing in Nigeria.
The GSK MD solicited for support from Government in the company’s efforts to expand capacity.
He highlighted the benefits of the partnership to the local manufacturing company to include growing technical and manufacturing capacity while improving competitiveness, leading to lower cost of production and stamp of quality. (NAN)