… AS COAS LAYS PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANY FOUNDATION IN EPE
By Okosun Dennis
In a bid to upscale quality drug production and reposition the Nigerian Army Drug Manufacturing Company (NADMACO) to meet the needs of personnel and their families, the Nigerian Army has entered into a joint venture with an indigenous company, UZ Carlson, to enhance production.
The Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Faruk Yahaya on Wednesday laid the foundation stone at the Epe Military Cantonment, Lagos.
In his remarks, he said that the desire to check adulterated and fake drugs that personnel has suffered in hospitals led to the joint establishment of a pharmaceutical drugs manufacturing plant in Epe which is intended to propel the capacity development of the current state of the Nigerian Army Drugs Manufacturing Company in line with his vision for the Nigerian Army.
According to him, “Failure to meet this need will affect a soldier’s morale and his willingness to fight, resulting in dwindling loyalty.
“Moreso, considering the recent high level of engagement of NA personnel in various theatres of operations across the country, healthcare being a critical aspect of a soldier’s welfare cannot be overemphasized.
Lt Gen Yahaya reiterated that 85 percent of good healthcare delivery revolves around quality drug administration for our personnel and their families.
Reemphasizing Nigerian Army’s commitment to reorganising the Nigerian Army Drugs Manufacturing Company, which was established in 1994, added that the aim at helping the company to concentrate on those products with comparative advantage to improve productivity and reduce the cost of production” are the motivating factors.
“The capital injection of 10.7 Million Euro by UZ Carlson Pharmaceutical Limited will be a pharmaceutical revolution in the Nigerian Army, the Armed Forces of Nigeria, and the country at large, the COAS added.
The Group Managing Director, Nigerian Army Welfare Limited by Guarantee, Major General AR Bakare said that NAWL/G went into private partnership with a view to repositioning the company for improved performance and better output.
Given the historical perspective of the Nigerian Army Drugs Manufacturing Company (NSDMACO) said the decline in production over the years due to various factors ranging from a continuous increase in production cost, and obsolete equipment gave rise to this joint partnership to increase production capacity for the Nigerian Army and its public.
In his remarks, the Managing Director of UZ Carlson Pharmaceutical Company, Mr. Callistus Okafor noted that the joint venture which is predicated on army professionalism in honouring agreement would upscale production within the next five years.
He added that the company would invariably address the problems of fake drugs and produce high-quality drugs of commercial value to reflect local content.
NADMACO was established in 1994 to provide quality and affordable pharmaceutical needs for Nigerian Army Personnel and their families.
The Chief of Army Staff Lt Gen Faruk Yahaya had earlier commissioned various projects at the Epe Military Cantonment.
They included Student Officers’ and Soldiers’ hostels comprising two blocks of 20 flats for officers and ”2″ by “40” dormitories for soldiers constructed under the supervision of former Commandant, Nigerian Army Ordinance School, Maj Gen AM Alabi.
In addition, he also commissioned the Regimental Sergeant Major’s residence at the Cantonment.
Present during the ceremony were the General Officer Commanding, 81 Division, Major General Obinna Ajunwa, Commandant, Ordinance School, Wow, Maj Gen Eze, and other senior military officers and traditional rulers.
https://any.peopleandpowermag.com/nigerian-army-to-upscale-drug-production-to-check-shortage/
About The Author
