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OGUN STATE, Nigeria —The Director, Food and Drugs Services, Federal Ministry of health, Pharm. Olubunmi Aribeana has said that the federal government will commence the full implementation of tax waiver on drugs from January 2025.
She said the move was aimed at reducing the cost of healthcare and makes other essential medicines more accessible to Nigerians.
Pharm. Aribeana made this disclosure when officials from the Federal Ministry of Health visited the Sagar Vitaceutical Nigeria limited, New Makun City facility, Sagamu, Ogun state on Monday.
She said, "The tax waiver on drugs is a critical step towards achieving universal health coverage in Nigeria.
"This waiver will not only reduce the financial burden on patients but also encourage local pharmaceutical manufacturers to produce high-quality, affordable drugs," he said.
The implementation of the tax waiver on drugs which is expected to commence on January 2025, Aribeana said, the Federal Government is working closely with stakeholders to ensure a smooth rollout.
Speaking on the need for the visit, she said, "We are here to collaborate with Sagar Vitaceutical Company on local manufacturing. We are from the ministry of health and as a government body we seek to focus on at least 70% production of locally manufactured products of what Nigerians need for their healthcare delivery system.
"We have seen the new factory built, having gone through the various departments within the factory, we are highly satisfied with what we see. Based on that, we can assure Nigerians of quality medicine coming from the company."
On the tax waiver, the Director said, "This initiative of was foster by the current minister of health to ensure tax waiver on drugs and some pharmaceuticals is endorsed to ensure that cost of medicine is highly reduce in Nigeria.
"This lead to the request of an Executive Order however, the Executive Order has been given. We have work together with the department concern to unlock the value chain and ensure that we develop a frame work for the implementation. The frame work for the implementation has been developed. It been sent to the ministry of justice and as soon as everything is ratified, we will commence implementation.
"The timeline for its implementation is a month, hence by January 2025, the full implementation will commence," Aribeana affirmed.
She however reiterated the Federal Government's dedication to improving healthcare in Nigeria. "We are committed to ensuring that all Nigerians have access to quality, affordable healthcare.
"With the implementation of the tax waiver on drugs, Nigerians can expect to pay less for their medicines from January," she said.
Similarly, the Director, Hospital services, Dr Jimoh Salaudeen, Mni, hailed the company for the quality services and facilities to boost production in the healthcare system.
Dr Salaudeen who endorsed the facilities for production said, "We commend the company for their efforts so far to ensure locally manufacturing of pharmaceuticals in the country.
"We have gone round, we have seen the level of equipment, hygiene, facilities, the level of commitment and dedication from staff to the manufacturing of drugs and we are highly satisfied.
"The products from the company are such that Nigerians really need and with the directive from the federal government that we should produce what we consume. The reliability of having this product coming from Nigeria, where we can verify the source and we can be satisfied that we are really taking the actual active ingredients.
"Therefore, we are highly satisfied with what we have seen here in terms of production, in terms of the outcome."
Earlier, during his presentation, the Managing Director, Sagar Vitaceutical Nigeria Limited, Mr Aakash Kothari called for collaboration to aid the production of locally manufactured pharmaceuticals to boost delivery in the Nigeria healthcare system.
Kothari reiterated the company's unwavering commitment to leverage with expertise to boost locally manufacturing products.
He said, "Sagar Vitaceuticals Nigeria Limited seeks partnership with relevant agencies to boost locally production of drugs for effective delivery in the health sector.
"All our activities are Environmental Health Safety compliance to ensure quality well-being and safety of citizens. As part of our unwavering commitment to improve lives of my people, we continue to expand our product portfolio in therapeutic areas that can leverage our unique expertise."
Speaking on the new plant delivery capacity, the company Managing Director said, "The project commenced in 2020 with a construction area of 120,000 square feet with manufacturing area of 65,000sq feet. The company per day production capacity in tables is 9.5million, capsule is 2million, dry powder/Sachets is 200,000 sachet, cream/ointment is 172,000 tube with a liquid of 172,000 bottles."
He added that the company seeks to collaborate to produce 15 Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient in Nigeria, contribute to local pharmaceuticals self-sufficiency and foster technological advancement and knowledge sharing in drug production.
The plant has obtained NAFDAC Good Manufacturing Practice certification for local and contract manufacturing of pharmaceutical products, and had benefited from the CBN healthcare intervention fund.
Dr Nwokwu Uchechukwu, the National coordinator, National Cancer Control and Nuclear Medicine Programme tasked the organisation with the need to collaborate with foreign counterpart to locally produce cancer drugs in the country.
This according to him would aid reduction in the cost of cancer treatment and medication.
He said the local production of cancer drugs in Nigeria would serve "a significant milestone in Nigeria's fight against cancer and demonstrates the government's commitment to improving healthcare and reducing the burden of cancer on Nigerians."
As the country continues to make progress in cancer treatment, cancer patients and their families can look forward to better treatment outcomes and improved quality of life.
