To boost local production of essential medicines in the country, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Fidson Healthcare Plc, Dr. Fidelis Ayebae, has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to support pharmaceutical manufacturers with soft loan and basic infrastructure.
According to the Fidson boss who doubles as Chairman, NPME 2019 Expo Committee, the major objective of the Expo which is in its fifth edition, is to create a platform for pharma machinery and equipment, raw and packaging materials, laboratory equipment, chemicals, and reagents manufacturers to meet and engage with the local pharma manufacturers and other stakeholders in West and Central African region.
He noted that this year’s event would be sponsored by the Bank of Industry and NEM Insurance PLC.
NPME, he said is the biggest International Pharma Manufacturing Exhibition in Central and West Africa known to attract close to 200 exhibiting companies from six countries and nearly 10,000 pharma and related sectors’ trade professionals from across the region.
Giving insight into the benefits of the pharma Expo, Ayebae said: ” It exposes local manufacturing companies as well as local products to Nigerians. The Expo which holds every two years, provides opportunities for new technologies to be exhibited in Nigeria so that manufacturers can take advantage of those exhibitions to upgrade their facilities. It also exposes manufacturers to quality control and assurance to produce quality drugs.”
He further noted that the Expo also connects local manufacturing companies to foreign investors besides helping to deepen investment in the industry.
