Posted by From Okumephuna Chukwunwike, Abuja on
Nigeria's hope of manufacturing the Anti-Retroviral Therapy (ARV) locally for the management of the Human Immuno-deficiency Virus/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome
Nigeria's hope of manufacturing the Anti-Retroviral Therapy (ARV) locally for the management of the Human Immuno-deficiency Virus/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS) brightened at the weekend with the presentation to the Minister of Health, Prof. Eyitayo Lambo, of the first locally produced ARV drug.
Termed VIREX and produced by Fidson Healthcare Limited, the new drug, which according to the manufacturers is suitable for both adults and children, was produced with 100 per cent local content.
While presenting the new drug to the Health Minister in his office in Abuja, the Managing Director of the company, Mr. Fidelis Ayabae told him that the company identified with the government's effort at curtailing the rising scourge of the virus in the nation, hence it's coming out with the new drug as a contribution to the fight.
Expressing joy at the first ARV drug to be manufactured in the country, the Managing Director extolled the Federal Government for the new lease of life given to the private sector to contribute its quota in the Nation's health care development, adding that it was because of the development that the company was able to come out with the first locally produced ARV.
Ayabae stated that the development would also go a long way in giving a new lease of life to about 3.4 million Nigerians living with the virus, making the coast very clear for the eventual manufacture of a drug that would totally cure the virus.
While receiving the new drug, the Health Minister, Prof. Eyitayo Lambo said that the Federal Government was desirous of recieving support in managing people living with the virus through partnership with local firms on local production of ARV.
He revealed that the number of people on Federal Government-assisted ARV programme which was initially put at 10,000 in 25 centers had risen to 40, 000 at an even more subsidised rate.
Lamenting that the country had an unenviable record of being the country with the third highest rate of the virus after India and South Africa, Lambo expressed delight at the ingenuity of the company in coming out with the locally manufactured ARV.
He observed that the local production would surely save the nation substantial foreign exchange, create employment for the youths and reduce the high cost of the ARV drugs already in the market.
The Health Minister urged the company to seek World Health Organisation (WHO) certification to allow the drug into the world market to compete favorably with other ARV drugs. He pledged to assist the company in any way possible to achieve the nation's quest of not only having enough of the drug locally, but making it qualitative, accessible, and
affordable for Nigerians.