The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Ali Pate, announced that President Bola Tinubu is set to sign an Executive Order aimed at reducing barriers associated with the importation of raw materials and equipment for pharmaceuticals and medical devices.
This development was disclosed during the Ministerial Sector Briefing organized by the Federal Ministry of Information on Friday.
Highlighting the agenda of the third pillar of the federal government to enhance the nation's healthcare value chain, Prof. Pate emphasized President Tinubu's commitment to promoting domestic production capabilities to drive economic value retention and youth employment opportunities.
The Presidential Initiative to Unlock the Healthcare Value Chain, approved by the President in October, has been instrumental in advancing policy changes to support this objective.
The imminent Executive Order, once signed, will streamline the importation process for essential items like syringes, needles, generic pharmaceuticals, test kits, and long-lasting insecticide-treated nets for malaria.
This policy shift aims to empower local production, with a focus on transitioning the manufacturing of bed nets, currently outsourced, to domestic facilities. This strategic move is expected to bolster self-sufficiency and spur economic development within the healthcare sector.
Furthermore, Prof. Pate revealed that a prominent global manufacturer of treated bed nets is exploring opportunities to establish a production plant in Nigeria, with the goal of supplying products across Africa.
