Prof Obioma Nnamani, professor of Pharmaceutics and Biopharmaceuticals, has called on the Federal government to restore the drug production unit of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), to promote drug research and training and serve as a source of revenue to the government.
Prof Nnamani stated this during an inaugural lecture at the Nsukka-based university over the weekend, calling on the FG to consider her recommendation. Speaking at the lecture titled “Why Size Matters from Microparticles to Nanoparticles Nnamani said a revitalisation of the university’s drug production unit would promote good health amongst Nigerians, return research, and generate revenue for the university and the federal government.
She called on the government to support the university with adequate funds to carry out research and the development of drug analysis and quality control measures to mitigate the challenge of fake and counterfeit drugs in the country. Prof Nnamani condemned the proliferation of fake drugs in the country, pointing them out as one of the root causes of failing health standards in the country.
Speaking further, Nnamani advised the federal government to set up a tax system to support professional training in Nigerian universities. She believes this move will close the gap between professionals and interns in the pharmaceutical industry.
She argued that if pharmaceutical companies are being taxed for training and research in pharmacy schools, they will be forced to partner with these pharmacy schools for their drugs and drug production instead of outsourcing their product development research.
Finally, Nnamani called on the government to support nanomedicine production and research in the country by establishing nanomedicine research centres in universities in Nigeria. She added that the conversion of existing drugs to nanomedicine would be a winning formula, as it combines the benefits of Nanomedicine without erasing the benefits of ordinary drugs most Nigerians are familiar with.
UNN is a prestigious Nigerian university founded by Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe and famous for scholarly research and innovations.
