Local players in the drug manufacturing and distribution chain have made a case concerning the sustenance of the drug distribution business for the purpose of medicine security and growth of the economy.
The occasion of the 2023 Annual National conference which took place in Lagos afforded the players an opportunity to make their voices heard concerning the role the government should play to ensure that the local drug market is protected, and also how they can attain and regularize drug distribution chains, which has been challenged for over 50 years.
The theme of this year’s event is “Strengthening The Pharma Supply Chain: Panacea To Good distribution Practice and Medicine Security” organised by the Pharmaceutical Wholesalers And Distributors Association Of Nigeria (PWDAN)
Pharm Ernest Okafor, Chairman of PWDAN in his address, stated that this year’s theme is specially chosen to continue the discourse on how effective, good distribution practice in both private and public sectors of the healthcare can promote effective, efficacious, quality and safe drugs in the country.
He said: “Although the road is rough and journey for the covid-19 experience has thrown many challenges and interests that many economies need to go back to the drawing board in their quest for an effective distribution/supply management system,” he said. Olumide Akintayo former president of Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) and chairman of the event noted that the central focus of the theme revolves around two major areas, one is regularising the value chain of core drug distribution and attain national medicine security.
He warned against the danger of leaving the distribution and manufacturing chain of the country’s medicine needs in the hands of foreigners.
He said: “Sometimes we’re a little careless and not futuristic. That is why these mega distributors are running big businesses. What they’re beginning to do now is to gradually hijack the drug distribution.
“The real danger is that they’re foreigners. If the preponderance of the distribution is left to foreigners it possesses security threats. What happened during COVID-19, was that China produced over 50 percent of all the Personal Protection Equipment (PPEs) in the world and China stopped export and domesticated the PPEs for local needs. “India banned the exportation of essential medicines. Over 70 percent of our drug needs come from those two countries. It was the grace of God that we didn’t have the incidence of covid-19 ravaging a significant part of our population.
“It is dangerous for any serious nation to leave its drug distribution chain either by way of distribution or manufacturing in the hands of foreigners.
“The two mega distributors that I talked about are foreigners. Today there are only two countries that procure medicines for one of Nigeria’s biggest public sector agencies, procurement in excess of N500 billion. They are simply encouraging capital flight. They make money on our shores and remit to their own countries. In that instance they’re shortchanging at least 125 registered manufacturers, over 300 registered pharma importers, 500 wholesalers and retailers in Nigeria.
He added, “In terms of economic interest it is detrimental, in terms of national medicine security it is a disaster waiting to happen.
“It is destroying the professional destiny of Nigerians who should have been employed if they have been strengthened, and also the businesses of other Nigerian players in that value chain,” he said.
He also spoke about the role of local open drug marketers.
He said” “We started talking about the menace of local open drug marketers. It is areality in most state capitals of Nigeria. The foremost fomidabe are located in Lagos, Idimota, Head Bridge, Onitsha, Sabon Gari in Kano and Ariara in Aba.”