Report of events at the 40th anniversary of Pharmanews Ltd., and 80th birthday celebration of Pharm. (Sir) Ifeanyi Atueyi, held at the Sheba event centre, Ikeja, will be uncompleted without mentioning the presentation of appreciation awards to fifty pharmaceutical companies, and long service awards to six staff of Pharmanews, who have spent ten years and above with the organisation.
Speaking on the contributions of some of the pharmaceutical companies to Pharmanews, Atueyi narrated how the capital to start the business was divinely provided by Merck in exchange for advert placement in the journal.
He said: “In 1979, God provided the seed money to start Pharmanews through Merck, a subsidiary of E. Merck of Germany. This company paid us upfront for their adverts. God so blessed this seed that, since then, we have not borrowed any money to do our business.
“During the depression years in the pharmaceutical industry caused by the onslaught of fake and counterfeit medicines in the 90s and early 2000, Orange Drugs Ltd kept us going with their adverts. Our recovery was facilitated by Medreich Nigeria Ltd, when the company came into our business with heavy adverts support in 2002, coupled with sanitization of the industry by Prof. Dora Akunyili, the then Director General of NAFDAC. At one time, Neros Pharmaceuticals Ltd dominated the adverts in Pharmanews. We appreciate all of them”, he stated.
The list of the fifty pharmaceutical companies and photographs are presented below:
Afrab-Chem. Ltd; Ajanta Pharmaceuticals Ltd; Alpha Pharmacy and Stores Ltd; Al-TinezPharma Ltd; Biofem Pharmaceuticals (Nig.) Ltd; Biomedical Ltd; Bolar Pharmaceuticals Ltd; Bond Chemical Industries Ltd; Dana Pharmaceuticals Ltd; Dortemag Ventures Limited; Drugfield Pharmaceuticals Ltd; Elbe Pharma Ltd; Embassy Pharmaceuticals & Chemicals Ltd; Emzor Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd; Expharlab Limited .
Others include: Euromed Ltd; Fidson Healthcare Plc; Geneith Pharmaceuticals Ltd; Goldmoore International Ltd; Greenlife Pharmaceuticals Ltd; HealthPlus Limited; Jawa International Ltd; JB Pharmaceuticals Ltd; Juhel Nigeria Ltd; Mark Pharmaceuticals Ltd; May & Baker Nig. Plc; Maydon Pharmaceuticals & Chemicals Ltd; Medreich Nigeria Limited; Mega Lifesciences Nigeria Ltd; Micro Nova Pharmaceuticals.
Mopson Pharmaceutical Limited; Neimeth International Pharm. Ltd; Neros Pharmaceuticals Ltd; Orange Drugs Ltd; Pemason Pharmaceuticals Ltd;Phamatex Nigeria Ltd; Pharma Ethics Ltd; PharmacyPlus Ltd; Phillips Pharmaceuticals (Nigeria) Ltd; Pinnacle Health Pharmaceutical Ltd; Ranbaxy Nigeria Limited – A SUN PHARMA Company; Reals Pharmaceuticals Ltd; Sagar Vitaceuticals Nigeria Limited; Shalina Healthcare Nigeria Ltd; Swiss Pharma Nigeria Ltd.
Therapeutics Laboratories Nigeria Ltd; Unique Pharmaceuticals Ltd; Vitabiotics (Nigeria) Limited; Vixa Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd; and World Wide Commercial Ventures Ltd.
Names of staff members presented with long service awards are :Yusuff Moshood, editor; Elizabeth Amuneke, administrative manager; Temitope Obayendo, online editor; Adebayo Folorunsho-Francis, senior correspondent; Andy Benson-Idima, graphic artist; and Chinedu Udeanyim, accountant.
 Ifeanyi Atueyi, held at the Sheba event centre, Ikeja, will be uncompleted without mentioning the presentation of appreciation awards to fifty pharmaceutical companies, and long service awards){kind=link}
When God gives an assignment, He is able to provide divine wisdom to protect and preserve the carrier of that dream. I am not surprise at the height attained by Pharmanews Ltd because it is built on purpose and driven by a Man in his natural place of calling!!