As the search for local remedy to the
global infection of Coronavirus continues in the country, the Director General, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Research and Development, NIPRD, Dr Obi Peter Adigwe, has disclosed the intention of the agency, to partner various institutions at national and international levels to arrive at innovative solutions to the infection and other diseases.
Adigwe said: “With NIPRD being one of a kind in the region and also statutorily charged with the responsibility for research and development of drugs, vaccines, phytomedicines and commodities, our strategic plan is to use carefully nurtured partnerships with institutions, Nigerian and foreign universities and funding agencies to stimulate local production of excipients, pharma inputs, quality medicines and other innovative interventions for the sector”.
The NIPRD boss stated this through a press release sent to Pharmanewsonline, on the agency’s partnership with Bloom Public Health to boost its capacity in research and development, towards arriving at quality pharmaceuticals for the use of the citizens.
He described the agreement as an African-led initiative to reshape the development of local preparations for use in the Nigerian healthcare delivery system.
According to him: “The partnership between Bloom and NIPRD is the type of Africa-led collaboration that will revolutionise the development of home-grown solutions for our healthcare issues.
“We are glad to partner with Bloom Public Health as it is just the sort of contextual alliance that can expedite access to healthcare for our people”
On his part, the Bloom CEO, Professor Chimezie Anyakora, explained how the outbreak of COVID-19 has made the strengthening of NIPRD imperative, as an agency that is pivotal to the development of the pharmaceutical industry.
He said: “The COVID-19 pandemic amplifies the urgent need to strengthen the Nigerian Pharmaceutical sector and NIPRD as an institution is extremely instrumental to the growth and development of the sector.
“This partnership will ensure that NIPRD is fully supported technically to lead our country’s pharmaceutical sector reform and we are honoured and privileged to be able to contribute our quota to this great journey”.
Anyakora further assured Nigerians of the great impact the partnership will bring about in the industry saying “The Bloom Public Health and NIPRD partnership will catalyze a pharmaceutical renaissance and we are looking forward to the impact it will have on public health”.
Given the shared interest, the statement revealed that both parties desire to work together on a mutual strategy of strengthening the health systems to guarantee access to safe and affordable health products for Nigerians.
