By Kennedy Mbele

As the world celebrates World Malaria Day today, drug manufacturing giant, Emzor Pharmaceutical Industries Limited, has said malaria as an endemic disease in Nigeria, presents a considerable health challenge, saying it’s committed to fighting it. 

It also said there is an urgent need for effective interventions in malaria and other infectious diseases. 

The pharmaceutical giant said this in a statement commemorating this year’s World Malaria Day by its Executive Director, Uzoma Ezeoke, titled: Pioneering the Fight Against Malaria in Nigeria and Beyond. 

The statement reads: “Emzor Pharmaceuticals: Pioneering the Fight Against Malaria in Nigeria and Beyond

Introduction: A New Dawn in the Fight Against Malaria

Established in 1984, Emzor Pharmaceutical Industries Limited has become a cornerstone of Nigeria’s pharmaceutical company and even one of the leading pharmaceutical companies in Africa, known for its commitment to providing high-quality and affordable, locally manufactured pharmaceutical and healthcare products. Emzor Pharmaceutical Industries Limited has grown to become a formidable force in the long-lasting fight against malaria, from producing medicines to prevent and treat malaria, to supporting public health programs targeted at malaria education and elimination. And now, with the ongoing construction of their $23M Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (API) facility in Shagamu, Ogun state, which is near completion, Emzor is set to completely change the face of malaria indices in Nigeria and in Africa as a whole.

Malaria remains a significant public health challenge in Nigeria and Sub-Saharan Africa, claiming thousands of lives each year. Nigeria in particular has the highest burden and number of deaths globally.

“Recognizing the urgent need for effective interventions, Emzor Pharmaceuticals has been at the forefront of the combat through extensive research and development efforts.

 The range of antimalarial drugs the company has manufactured have proven instrumental in saving lives and reducing the burden of the disease, but Emzor is not stopping there.

Emzor’s commitment to innovation has been further underscored by the establishment of its state-of-the-art API plant in Shagamu, Ogun state. This iconic facility represents a trail-blazing milestone in the company’s journey, enabling the local production of critical pharmaceutical ingredients; artemether, lumefantrine, sulfadoxine, and pyrimethamine, essential for antimalarial drugs manufacturing.

One of the most striking aspects of this venture is its critical role in fortifying the antimalarial supply chain. 

“Malaria, an endemic disease in Nigeria, presents a considerable health challenge, with the nation recording the highest annual count of malaria cases and fatalities globally, as indicated by the 2022 WHO World Malaria Report.

“Furthermore, this project carries a significant social benefit. It is geared towards combatting malaria, an endemic infectious disease in West Africa, responsible for approximately 60% of outpatient attendance and nearly 30% of all hospital admissions in Nigeria. Besides fulfilling the vital need for essential medicines, this initiative also supports the expansion of pharmaceutical manufacturing capacity in the region. This expansion has a spill-over effect, fostering knowledge transfer and creating opportunities for nurturing and retaining talents and skills in the region. Importantly, it aligns with the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3, which aims to ensure longer and healthier lives for all. The local production of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs) promises to protect millions of people in Africa from disease and disability.

“This project also puts financial inclusion and the health of pregnant women at the forefront.

 The APIs produced are intended for use in manufacturing antimalarial pharmaceuticals.  The four APIs in focus are Artemether, Lumefantrine, Sulfadoxine and Pyrimethamine. Specifically, two of the four APIs – Sulfadoxine and Pyrimethamine are expected to be utilized in combination for Intermittent Preventive Treatment of malaria in pregnancy (IPTp). 

As a substantial portion of health and care workers in Sub-Saharan African countries are women, this initiative could empower them and contribute to enhancing their roles within their respective societies, thus addressing gender inequality.

“The development of this world-class API manufacturing facility in full compliance with international standards, will be the first of its kind in the sub-Saharan African region and upon completion, will be churning out 400 metric tonnes of quality APIs yearly which will accelerate the fight against malaria in Africa. 

This significant milestone reaffirms Emzor’s longstanding commitment to strengthen the pharmaceutical sector in Africa. This intervention will provide a new window of opportunity for drug security and availability in Africa thereby playing a significant role in achieving WHO’s Malaria Elimination target by 2030.

To sum up, Emzor Pharmaceutical Industries Limited is a positive example of what can be accomplished when hard work, innovation, and a strong commitment to public health are combined. 

The company has demonstrated its leadership in the fight against malaria by reaffirming its position and providing hope and healing to millions of people in Nigeria and Sub-Saharan Africa with the establishment of its API plant in Shagamu.”