The federal government has completed the National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRD) office complex, as part of efforts to improve research activities in the county.
Its Director-General, Prof. Karniyus Gamaniel, told journalist yesterday at a briefing in Abuja that the complex consisted of 12 laboratories and 125 offices.
Gamaniel said the additional laboratories would facilitate research activities on herbal medicine.
He said: “The completion of the complex is evidence that the institute is functioning. The scientists here have produced concrete proof of Nigeria’s readiness to improve the health of the citizenry and that of the world inhabitants.
“It is also evidence that we have adopted the agenda of government to go on with the transformation agenda.”
He added that the Federal Ministry of Health and the institute had signed a performance agreement under the National Strategic Development Plan.
According to him, the Minister of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu, also approved the “social production plan submitted by NIPRD to resuscitate the production of NIPRSAN, a phytomedicine discovered here for the management of sickle cell anemia.”
He said for the institute to function more effectively and smoothly, it was necessary to establish sub-regional offices in all the six geopolitical zones, as this will make for proper coordination of herbal medicine practitioners.
Gamaniel said the institute had established research and development partnerships with several international and local bodies to further the cause of its mandate.
