We’ll produce meningitis, Lassa fever vaccines – Expert

 

Pakistan-born Managing Director of Cross River state pharmaceutical company, Calapharm, Farhan Ahmade Khan, has said that the company would soon begin production of drugs and vaccine to tackle the menace of deadly diseases such as meningitis and Lassa fever.
He disclosed this yesterday in Calabar when the Commissioner for Information, Pastor Rosemary Archibong, and her counterpart in commerce and industry, Mr. Peter Akam Egba, took journalists around the state’s Industrial Park, on Goodluck Jonathan Bypass, which houses the Calabar Pharmaceutical Company, the Garment Factory and the Calabar Rice City currently under construction by the Ayade-led administration.
“Our main focus is on mother and child health. We will launch the pharmaceutical company with 40 products initially. We will produce syrups, tablets, syringes and injections. One thing that is not produced in Nigeria is vaccine, which we in Calapharm will produce early next year,” he stated.
On raw materials to feed the industry, Khan said: “For now, the raw materials which will feed the industry will be imported because Nigeria does not have most of the chemicals to use in producing most of the drugs. We will import the chemical but we will do all the medical works and packaging here
“We are seeking to complement AyadeCare programme with quality medicine, and this will boost economy of Cross River state. The cost of the drugs will be such that all Cross Riverians will be able to afford.”
On her part, Pastor Archibong explained that the area would be a beehive of industrial activities as investors were scrambling to relocate their industries and businesses to Calabar.
She said the digitalised rice city laboratory “will help Nigeria dethrone Thailand and become highest rice producer in the world,” adding that research work on improved seedlings would take place in the rice city after which the improved species are sent for planting in rice farms.
Also speaking, the commerce and industry boss noted that the drugs would be produced locally, adding: “This is a gigantic project. We have the laboratories where the drugs will pass through all scientific processes; we have department in which packaging will be done. The idea behind this project is to basically reduce, if not eliminate, importation of drugs into Nigeria.”
On the rice city laboratory, Egba said the state government was in collaboration with companies and experts in Thailand for technology which would multiply improved rice seedlings production so as to ensure the vision becomes a reality.

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