Business
RSG Set To Revive Drugs Production
Following the success recorded in the State-owned syringe manufacturing firm, the Rivers State Government, says it would revive its comatose pharmaceutical production department.
Commissioner for Health, Dr. Sampson Parker gave the hint while speaking with reporters shortly after unveiling the new expanded syringe production factory, Pan African Health Centre yesterday at Rumuuosi, Port Harcourt.
He said that the state Government plans to expand the syringe factory to include other bio-medical devices, noting that,” the factory will have the capacity thereafter to even go into pharmaceuticals and it’s a gradual process’’.
Dr. Parker further stated, “we are coming up on a new ground with international best practices, now, we have jumped the stage of syringe, we are going into production of intravenous fluids and other drip and blood giving sets’’.
The Commissioner stated that the production of other pharmaceutical products would cover dextrose, nomal saline and manitol, including other drugs.
He lauded the visionary leadership of Governor Chibuike Amaechi especially in the health sector, while hailing the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control(NAFDAC) for its support in driving the scheme.
Commenting on the expanded syringe factory, Dr. Parker said that a new Memorandum of Understanding(MoU) had been signed with three European companies for higher production tonnage.
The state-owned syringe factory is expected to provide 2000 direct jobs with an annual production capacity of one billion syringes. The factory is expected to produce about three million syringes daily from its former capacity of 500,000.
Dr Parker said,” the state government will provide land and bear about 15 percent of the cost of machines and equipment for the factory with funds from European Export Credit Agency”.
Representative of the three firms, Mr Auton Eichinger of Austroplan of Austria added,” we have chosen to do business with the Rivers State Government because it is one of the best governments here in Nigeria and we are also looking forward into the future in developing an industry for the production of medical supplies.’’