BY CHIOMA OBINNA & GABRIEL OLAWALE
LAGOS—As the World Health Organisation, WHO, arrived in the country to screen seven pharmaceutical companies for possible WHO Pre-qualification Standard, indications, Tuesday, emerged that the prequalification programme  would create over 250,000 jobs for unemployed Nigerians.

Director-General, National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control,NAFDAC, Dr. Paul Orhii, who stated this when the WHO team paid a courtesy call at NAFDAC Central Laboratory, Oshodi,  Lagos, added that the pre-qualification of  the companies will pave the way for sustainable production of over 200,000 quality essential medicines, a development, which will check the influx of fake drugs into the country.

He said despite the number of pharmaceutical companies with international standards, the country do not have any WHO prequalified company.

He said: “Of the $4.7 billion medicines procured for developing countries which Nigeria was a major recipients, no Nigerian pharmaceutical company benefitted because none of them is WHO-prequalified.”

”Against the background that in the entire West African sub-region, no pharmaceutical company qualifies to be categorised in WHO pre-qualified companies, a N200 billion loan was issued through the Bank of Industry to provide loans to bail any pharmaceutical industry that is prepared to join the club of WHO pre-qualifed companies.”

The WHO officials, Messrs Serge Lagay and Pierre Muscat, are to investigate the state of the seven companies, Chi Pharmaceuticals Limited, May & Baker, NIMET Pharmaceuticals, Fidson Pharmaceuticals, Emzor, Evans and Swipher, and identify gaps with a view to putting them on the right standard.

According to Orhii, who expressed optimism that within one to two years, Nigeria will have at least two to three companies that are WHO-pre-qualified, the current investigative procedure is a key strategy to eliminate fake drugs from the country, considering that over 70 per cent of essential drugs needed arec imported

In his remarks, the Managing Director, Chi Pharmaceuticals Limited, Steve Onya who spoke on behalf of the seven companies, said what the seven companies have seen so far concerning the investigation, is an eye opener. “The companies are determined to meet and even beat the WHO Standard,” he said, adding, “Quality of the drugs cannot be compromised. We want to remain internationally competitive.”