Sources of drugs used in Nigeria exposed!

The National President of Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, (PSN), Alhaji Ahmed Yakassai, on Tuesday in Ilorin, said Nigerian imports about 70 percent of drugs in to the country.

Yakasai made the disclosure while addressing a press conference noting thT only 30  percent of the drugs are produced locally, ROYAL NEWS reports.

He explained that this is unacceptable, adding that at least 70 percent of drugs consumed in Nigeria are supposed to be sourced locally.

He attributed the factors hindering local production of drugs to poor or decayed infrastructure, exorbitant taxes and lack of enough will from the government.

The Pharmacist noted that the country has enough human resources and raw materials to achieve the target of producing the drugs locally.

He said with the coming on board of Dangote Petrochemical Company at the end of this year, pharmaceutical industries would be able to source for chemicals locally and improve local production of drugs in the country.

Yakasai pointed out that Ghana with a population of about 23 million people, has built a pharmaceutical hub and became importer of drugs.

He wondered why Nigeria with abundant raw materials and human resources could not achieved such feat.

As the custodian of drugs, the President of the Society believed in quality of drugs and service to humanity, assuring Nigerians that the issue of quackery and circulation of illicit drugs would be checked.

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