Pharmacists in the industrial section of the Nigerian pharmaceutical industry, will converge at the Carlton Swiss Grand Hotels in Enugu state, South-East Nigeria, from July 5-8, 2023, for the 26th Annual National Conference of the Association of Industrial Pharmacists of Nigeria (NAIP).
The keynote speaker of the conference with the theme “The role of the pharmaceutical industry towards achieving medicine security in Nigeria” is Professor S. I. Ofuefule of the Department of Pharmaceutical Technology and Industrial Pharmacy, University of Nigeria, Nsukka.
The sub-theme on the first day of the event is “A new growth formula or pharmaceutical manufacturing in Nigeria” while the sub-theme for the second day is “Attracting and retaining contract or toll manufacturing: Givers and receivers perspectives” which will be presented by the Technical Director, Swiss Pharma Nigeria Limited, Pharm. Yetunde Adigun.
The opening ceremony of the conference is expected to be chaired by His Royal Majesty, Igwe Oranu Chris Chidume, the Eze Ana-Ukwu, Eze Igulube of Omor Anambra State. Also, the expected discussants at the event include Prince Dr Chijioke Ofomata- lead discussant as well as the director, Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN), South East, Pharm. Mrs IIfeayinwa Grace Ohiaeri.
Other expected discussants are the Executive Director, Sales/Marketing, May & Baker PLC, Pharm. Valentine Okelu; Acting Managing Director/CEO, Neimeth Nigeria Limited, Pharm. Gerald Oputa; Managing Director/CEO, Ecomed, Pharm. Ekene Christopher Aguolu as well as the Dean, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Science, University of Nigeria, Nsukka.
While speaking on the relevance of the theme and the sub-theme of the conference at a media parley in Lagos on Tuesday, the National Chairman of NAIP, Pharm. Ken Onuegbu, said the importance of medicine security cannot be overemphasised. He noted that the pharmaceutical industry has an immense role to play for the country to achieve medicine security which will also aid national security.
In view of the importance of the topic, Onuegbu noted that notable relevant stakeholders and government functionaries have been invited and expected to grace the occasion so as to ensure that the discussions and recommendations at the conference are implemented accordingly.
The NAIP chairman explained that contract/toll manufacturing is already working in the industry and many players are already benefiting from it even though the association has not really publicised the beneficiaries.
He averred that many factories are having idling capacity, hence local contract/toll manufacturing is the way to go, especially with the current challenge arising from the removal of fuel subsidy which has been compounded by the current forex regime in the country, noting that every stakeholder will discuss at the conference the best modality that can be adopted to make contract/toll manufacturing beneficial to all parties.
The Chairman Conference Planning Committee, Pharm. Charles Ajulo in his remarks noted that the committee has already made adequate arrangements to hold a successful conference. According to him, some of the invited guests and government functionaries expected at the conference include the permanent secretaries in the federal and state ministry of health, the Director General, National Agency for Food Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Professor Mojiosla Adeyeye, the Director of Food and Drug, Federal Ministry of Health, the Director of Pharmaceutical Services in the various states’ Ministry of Health among others.
Pharm. Ajulo called on relevant stakeholders in the industry to be part of the conference, stating that the gathering promises to be and an interesting and rewarding outing.
