Ayodele Olalere
West African pharmacists have decried huge dependence on drug importation by Africa which has resulted in an influx of substandard and falsified medicines in the region.
The professionals under the aegis of the West African Postgraduate College of Pharmacists, an agency of the West African Health Organisation in collaboration with Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, at a recent function advocated for talks with relevant stakeholders including regulators, operators and government agencies on the need to facilitate the productivity of manufacturing capacity in the pharmaceutical industry within the region.
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This, they said, would avert a looming medicine crisis during any case of health emergency as experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The professionals spoke at a press conference ahead of the 34th Annual General Meeting and Scientific Symposium of the College which is to take place on May 19, 2022, with the theme “Medicine Security in the West African Region: Matters Arising.’
According to the president of the West African Postgraduate College of Pharmacists (WAPCP), the theme was apt as it captures “all we need to foster the unparalleled cooperation between the pharmaceutical industries, regulatory bodies, drug distributors and the end users.”
The professionals agreed the experience of the COVID-19 pandemic has necessitated the need for local production of drugs in the West Africa sub-region.
“The West African region is fast becoming a dumping ground for all manners of Pharmaceutical products. Drug importation has sorrowfully gifted the region with problems of substandard and falsified medicines.”
“The huge dependence on importation, which has negatively impacted local production, is attributable to lack of basic research and development, including insufficient capacity in pharmaceutical analysis and bio-analytical techniques in the academia and the industry,” she said.
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She added the college is committed to high academic and professional standards, adding it has also commenced the integration of Francophone counterparts into WAPCP.
In her remarks, the Chairman WAPCP, Nigerian Chapter, Margaret Obono, said the theme of this year’s conference to be hosted by Nigeria, was informed by the strains of medicine scarcity which accompanied the COViD-19 lockdown when the international borders were closed.
“We must begin to plan to manufacture our drugs here in Nigeria and other West African Countries,” she said.
The Secretary General, WAPCP, Prof. Ibrahim Oreagba, lamented that the proliferation of substandard medicines was a phenomenon demanding urgent attention.
The Chairman, Conference Planning Committee, Pharm. Ngozi Onuorah, in her remarks said the subject of medical security remains significant to national security profile.
“If you don’t have medicine to treat diseases, then you cannot be assured of the health of the populace,” she said.
According to her, the significance of the conference informed the importance of having participation of stakeholders from different fora in the health sector.
