Shalina Healthcare Limited, a leading Afro-focused multinational company, has received widespread commendation from key players in Nigeria’s healthcare sector following the conclusion of two leading medical competitions, the Shalina Young Talents Award (SYTA) and the Shalina Rising Stars Award, held recently in Lagos.
Industry stakeholders, including representatives from academia and regulatory bodies, acknowledged the company’s significant contributions to pharmaceutical education and professional development in Nigeria.
Speaking at the event, President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), Pharm. Tanko Ayuba, lauded Shalina Healthcare for its visionary impact on young professionals in the industry. He stated, “Shalina Healthcare is creating an enduring legacy by nurturing young talents in the pharmaceutical space.”
Similarly, the National First Vice-President of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Dr Benjamin Olowojebutu, praised the company’s commitment to advancing healthcare practice in Nigeria. He remarked, “This is an investment in the future, fostering knowledge and promoting medical research. The NMA celebrates Shalina for this laudable initiative.”
Speaking in the same vein, Second Vice-President of the Society of Gynaecology and Obstetrics of Nigeria (SOGON), Prof. Chris Aimakhu, emphasised the company’s role in enhancing pharmaceutical scholarship. “Shalina has elevated the standard of research and academic work in medical schools across Nigeria,” he noted.
One of the assessors of the Rising Stars Award, Prof. Stephen Ikuerowo, a professor of Urological Surgery at the Lagos State University College of Medicine and Lagos State Teaching Hospital, highlighted the exceptional quality of participants. “All the contestants are winners; their excellence made it difficult to select the final 10. Shalina is truly bringing out the best in Nigeria’s medical professionals,” he said.
In his opening address, CEO Pharma of Shalina Healthcare, Mr Debajeet Mukherjee, reiterated the company’s dedication to advancing healthcare in Nigeria. He disclosed that Shalina is establishing a world-class manufacturing facility in the country and continues to provide a wide range of high-quality, affordable medicines. “We are committed to educating and empowering young professionals, thereby contributing to Africa’s economy and GDP,” Mukherjee stated.
The grand finale of the Shalina Young Talents Award (SYTA), a prestigious national competition for final-year pharmacy students, marked its sixth season with Samuel Ayomide Ibrahim from the University of Lagos (UNILAG) emerging as the overall winner. He triumphed over 15 other finalists from 16 Schools of Pharmacy, following a rigorous selection process that saw 2,744 students participate in the local qualifiers. Ibrahim received a grand prize of one million naira.
Meanwhile, in the Shalina Rising Stars Award, a platform designed for medical professionals to showcase their clinical expertise, Dr Odebiyi Akinola Ayodeji of the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital, Ile-Ife, claimed the top prize of one million, two hundred thousand naira. The competition, which commenced in October last year, initially featured 750 doctors from various universities across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones, culminating in a grand finale with the top 10 research finalists.
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