Drug Insecurity: House Urges FG to Fund Indigenous Drug Research

The House of Representatives on Tuesday urged the federal government to invest more in the National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development in order to encourage local and indigenous research.

The House also urged the government to revisit the National Drug Policy as a way to promote and boost the medical industry.

It directed its Committees on Health Institutions, Health Care Services and Science and Technology to organise a round table discussion to chart a probable course for the development of locally made drugs.

The resolution was sequel to the adoption of a motion titled: 'Need to check the Rise of Drug Insecurity and to encourage Indigenous Production of Drugs in Nigeria', which was moved by Hon. Dennis Idahosa at the plenary.

Moving the motion, Idahosa said the House is aware that China has recently been inflicted with the coronavirus disease which has paralysed its economy, thus rendering it unable to produce or export those necessary ingredients or medicine.

 

He recalled that the National Agency for Food and Administration Drug (NAFDAC) at an event on February 18, 2020, raised the alarm that the outbreak of coronavirus in China has the capacity to create drug insecurity.

Idahosa expressed worries that Nigeria does not produce drugs locally or have  the ingredients to produce the drugs on a large commercial scale, therefore, imports over 70 percent of the drugs majorly from China.

According to him, "Nigeria’s National Drug Policy target in 2008 was the increase in local production capacity to a level where 70 percent of total output satisfies at least 60 percent of the national drug requirements of essential drugs while the balance is exported. Even when coronavirus is eradicated in the future, Nigeria should continue to take the bold step in encouraging made-in-Nigeria drugs especially as part of its policy to encourage such."

In a similar vein, lawmakers also adoption a motion on the 'Need to Control Indiscriminate Use of Drugs and Narcotics by Nigerian Youths', which was moved by Hon. Omowunmi Ogunlola.

Ogunola, while presenting the motion, expressed worries that the rate at which drugs are abused by the youths has reached an alarming state.

The House, while adopting the motion, urged NAFDAC to be alive to its responsibilities as provided in the relevant Acts and ensure that this ugly trend is checkmated.

It also urged the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria to exercise control by ensuring that only qualified pharmacists are allowed to run pharmaceutical shops.