As the African Pharmaceutical Technology Foundation (APTF), an independent agency established by the African Development Bank, held a High-Level Meeting on addressing technology gaps in Nigeria's pharmaceutical and vaccine sector, the Vice Chancellor of Chrisland University, Ogun State, Professor Chinedum Babalola has given academic perspectives on mapping and addressing the technology gaps in Nigeria with a view to strengthening its domestic pharmaceutical and vaccine sector.
The APTF’s Stakeholders’ Dialogue on addressing the Technology Gaps in Nigeria’s
Pharmaceutical and Vaccine Sector held at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja on Monday, March 18, 2024, marked the beginning of APTF’s collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health in Nigeria.
Being the pioneer Director of the Centre for Drug Discovery, Development and Production (CDDDP), Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Ibadan (UI), Ibadan, and with many outstanding achievements in the pharmaceuticals and academic world, Prof. Babalola’s invitation to the dialogue of professionals, was to speak on “Increasing/ Creating New Centres of Excellence for Pharmaceutical Research”.
CDDDP as an initiative, and one of the growing units in the University of Ibadan setup as a unifier of the academia, pharmaceutical industry and regulatory agencies, was birthed by Prof. Babalola in 2012 through a $1m dollar grant received from MacArthur Foundation.
With her wealth of experience on the field of pharmacy and in the academia, the Chrisland University VC, was the only University and Academic Don that represented the gown among other stakeholders from international organizations, pharmaceutical industry, regulatory and government officials.
She shared insights on improving quality medicines and vaccines by Africans in Africa as well as the development of a national assessment program to measure the technology gaps in Nigeria’s sector, including vaccines.
Also, at the APTF event was the President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PFN), Professor Cyril Odianose Usifoh FPSN who is driven by a vision to seeing to repositioning of the pharmaceutical sector in the country for greater efficiency and qualitative service delivery.
Professor Usifoh’s strategic moves and efforts have been towards repositioning quality health care delivery in Nigeria through access to quality and affordable drugs.
Co-hosted by Nigeria's National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRD), the meeting targeted at identifying and addressing sector-wide contextual technology gaps in pharma, vaccines, and related industries, gathered relevant Ministries, national agencies, international and regional agencies, and business to discuss key topics in strengthening Nigeria’s capacity for pharmaceutical and vaccines production including industry development, technology transfer, innovative financing and intellectual property rights and market shaping to develop the healthcare value chain.
APTF, an independent agency established by the African Development Bank is domiciled in Kigali Rwanda.
