Regulatory agencies and prominent stakeholders in the pharmaceutical industry have lauded the giant stride of the Board and management of New Heights Pharmaceuticals (NHP) towards ridding the nation of fake, unwholesome and adulterated medicines, through the commissioning of a state-of- the–art wholesale and distribution centre.
They described the setting up of the facility as a step in the right direction, which aligns with the ongoing plans of pharmaceutical regulators in ensuring quality healthcare for Nigerians through the use of quality drugs and medicines with traceability features.
With an efficient drug distribution system as a panacea to the sale of fake, unwholesome and adulterated drugs and medicines in the country, the key players in the sector appealed to governments at all levels to support such initiatives, by reducing multiple taxations and creating conducive working environments for indigenous businesses to thrive in the face of massive brain drain in the health sector.
Performing the official commissioning of the ulra-modern wholesale and distribution centre, located at Plot 29, Ilupeju Industrial Avenue, on Friday, 11 August, 2023, the Director General, National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) Prof. Moji Adeyeye, congratulated the board and management of NHP, for keying into the vision of the agency, in erecting such a magnificent edifice to provide quality medicines for Nigerians. She said Nigerians deserve the best in all ramifications, which justifies the vision of the management of NHP to replicate what they saw in the United Kingdom 16 years ago in Nigeria.
“The vision behind this facility resonates with our traceability goal, which is to ensure that our drugs and medicines can be traceable to genuine and certified manufacturers and distributors, across the country, which gives caregivers and patients confidence in the type of the medications they are using. If this is obtainable in other parts of the world, we can also do it here, because God did not create us differently, God gave us endowments. It is left for us to use the endowments purposefully, so that when we return to God, we can say we use the endowments judiciously.
“It is a purposeful driven life that led to this great achievement. When I saw this edifice, I said to myself, if I see more of this, I can actually go and sleep and wake up in peace”, Adeyeye commended.
The Registrar, Pharmacy Council of Nigeria, Pharm. (Dr) Babashehu Ahmed, also lauded the efforts of NHP in establishing a standard wholesale and distribution facility in the heart of Lagos, noting that the commissioning of the centre will fast-track the agency’s drive against all illegal drug distribution networks in the state.
Ahmed, who was ably represented by Pharm. (Dr) Ukamaka Okafor, PCN coordinator, Lagos Office, mentioned how their implementation of National Drug Distribution Guidelines in Kano State, has been effective, with the closure of open drug markets, and relocation of certified distributors to Coordinated Wholesale Contre. He said the commissioning of NHP is in tandem with such goal, as they are almost at the point of implementation in Lagos State too.
In his remarks at the event, President, Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) Prof. Cyril Usifoh, also attested to the feat of the pharma company, as he urged the board and management of NHP not to rest on their oars, but to spread their tentacles to the West Africa Sub-region and Africa in entirety. “As we are commissioning this, there are greater heights to achieve, you must not stop in Nigeria, the West Africa Sub-region must be covered, and by inclusion Africa. And God sparing our lives, wherever you are commissioning anything, let me know, I will be there”.
Speaking at the occasion, Pharm. (Sir) Paul Enebeli, chairman, board of directors, New Heights Pharmaceuticals, explained the confidence of the company in Nigeria, irrespective of the japa syndrome that is gaining traction in the country, as they believe in the can do spirit of average Nigerians, saying NHP will continue to invest in it, come what may.
He therefore appealed to the Federal Government for assistance in replicating the 5000sqm ultra-modern centre in the six geopolitical zones of the country, because Nigerians deserve the best drug distribution network, which is like the mainstream of the pharmaceutical ecosystem.
“We use this opportunity to solicit for the support of all governments at all levels, local, states and federal, this is very important because when you are establishing business in Nigeria, you have to grapple with local, state and federal governments taxations, that is aside the provision of your own water, electricity, these are added costs, coupled with inflation.
“This request is vital because an efficient drug distribution system is a panacea to the sale of fake, unwholesome and adulterated drugs and medicines in the country. To change the narrative of the pharmaceutical industry for the betterment of Nigeria people and indeed the ECOWAS nations”, he stated.
Narrating the success story of the pharma company, Pharm. Ogheneochuko Omaruaye, chief executive officer of New Heights Pharmaceuticals, explained that the huge investment was in response to the identified gap for standardised and certified pharmaceutical wholesale and distribution centres in the country, for the supply of quality healthcare products. The vision became clearer, he said with his visit to the 4th largest pharmaceutical wholesale centre in the United Kingdom, which gave him all the assurance that it is a possibility in Nigeria. Notwithstanding the several challenges encountered over the last 16 years in pursuant of the goal, he said they remained undaunted in bringing the vision to fruition for the advancement of the healthcare sector in Nigeria.
Giving a vivid description of the centre, he said it has 5000 sqm workspace, epoxy floor to ease the rigours of a busy wholesale and distribution centre, and a central cooling facility, that ensures that temperatures conditions in the facility meet good distribution practice standards. Additionally, data loggers that notify operators when temperatures are not conducive, are also installed in the centre. He further noted that their injectable and auxiliary product sessions have greatly been improved, with an increased SKU by 20 per cent, and huge investment in logistic services. He assured that they can reach pharmacies and hospitals anywhere they are in Nigeria.
Omaruaye however charged NAFDAC and PCN, on the urgent implementation of NDDG in Lagos, noting that the time is rife for action to be taken, as they don’t need to wait any longer, with facilities and tools for implementation at near completion.
He said “Over 20 years ago, while working for one of the leading retail pharmacy businesses in Nigeria, we noticed the issues that most retail pharmacy stores contend with in an attempt to get quality healthcare products for them to be able to sell to their clients and give them best quality medication, especially in the face of falsified and substandard medicine.
“Even though our dream was big, we needed to start small. So on 1 February, 2005, we secured a facility with 54 sqm in space, that was our first office in Maryland. We had a dream to provide Nigerians a pharmaceutical healthcare space, a world class pharmaceutical facility that can meet those needs. And so in 2007, when I had the opportunity to travel to the UK for a conference, we were invited to visit the 4th largest pharmaceutical wholesale business in the UK. After visiting that facility, we made a commitment that if these guys can set up such facility in the UK, then there is no reason such facility or something close to it should not be established in Nigeria. So that began our journey.
“On three occasions over the last 16 years, we tried to set up this centre, but we failed. The site should have been on Opic, but as we tried to set up three times, flood came and washed away all works done, so we had to relocate. On this note, I want to appreciate the Board of NHP, under the able chairmanship of Sir Paul Enebeli. Also want to appreciate my siblings, then my lovely wife for all the support”.
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