Appolonia Adeyemi 
…over 4,500 delegates, 120 exhibitors expected at national conference
In an effort to tackle some of the challenges contributing to high cost of medicines in the country, the President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), Prof. Cyril Odianose Usifoh has urged Federal and state governments to encourage local manufacturing of drugs for the sustainability of the pharmaceutical sector.
He pointed out that if drugs are produced locally, it will help lower the high cost of medications as well as help generate foreign exchange for the country.
Usifoh made these suggestions on Tuesday during a press conference to announce the 97th Annual National Conference of the PSN where over 4,500 delegates and over 120 exhibitors are expected to participate. The conference tagged ‘Ibom 2024’ will be taking place in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.
According to Usifoh, “The desire to have our own local manufacturing environment is imperative for the sustainability of the pharmaceutical sector. If we don’t have local manufacturing, we’re going to have a lot of problems. In fact, the issue of drug security has become a big issue.”
The president of the PSN also noted that during the COVID-19 pandemic we were lucky, “but you observed that a time came when people would rather use what they possessed before exporting.
That’s one of the things that encouraged me in terms of advocacy.” According to Usifoh, when we start producing what we need at least, and become involved in improved local drug manufacturing, it’s going to help us a great deal.
“I must confess that if you visit some of the West African countries, it’s cheaper for them to get their drugs from Nigeria than to get them from France. And so we must also leverage on that and see how we can help ourselves,” he said.
The PSN boss however noted that the government has a major role to play: the first thing is to make sure that the foreign exchange is stable if that can happen.
Then the government has to make sure the issue of energy is properly addressed to be able to complement this local drug manufacturing effort.
If these things are properly done, the president of PSN said these factors can reduce the price of drugs, adding that It is an ongoing thing.
On her part, the chairperson of the Conference Planning Committee, Dr. Monica Hemben Eimunjeze disclosed that 4,500 delegates and over 120 exhibitors are expected at the conference where elections are also expected to be held to replace the outgoing PSN executives.
The theme of the conference is ‘Transforming Pharmaceutical innovations to Facilitate Equitable Healthcare in an Emerging Economy’. According to Eimunjeze, the opening ceremony is scheduled for Tuesday November 5 and the activities will begin with a health walk.
Other dignitaries expected at the conference include the Akwa Ibom state Governor, the minister of health and social welfare, Prof Muhammad Ali Pate, the Obi of Onitsha, among others. She stated that the events have been particularly packaged to guarantee knowledge enhancement, networking and relaxation for all delegates.
