Dr Bilali Camara, UNAIDS Country Director, said on Wednesday that Nigeria would commence local production of anti-retroviral drugs in early 2016.
Camara, who is also the UNAIDS Focal Point for ECOWAS, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.
He said plans are at the conclusion stage between UNAIDS, ECOWAS and West Africa Health Organisation (WAHO) on the production date.
“We are trying to see how better we can finalise the process, we have between now and early next year to commence the production,’’ he said.
NAN recalls that four pharmaceutical companies have been certified by the World Health Organisation (WHO) for the general manufacturing practices.
Camara said the medical store at Abidjan owned by ECOWAS, which was transferred to Ghana, had been stocked with anti-retroviral drugs produced by a Nigerian pharmaceutical company.
“When the medical store was razed down by fire at Ghana, the stock, which ECOWAS constituted, was locally produced by the Nigerian companies.
“Anti-retroviral drugs produced by Evans Pharmaceuticals, an indigenous Nigerian company, was used to replenish the store and keep people on treatment in Ghana and that process is still continuing in Ghana now,’’ he said.
According to Camara, there are hiccups in the market now, because the two major buyers of the commodity in West Africa have put a long term contract with China and India.
“PEPFFER and Global Funds had engaged China and Indian companies for the production of the anti retroviral drugs for the countries where they are working which include Nigeria,’’ he said.
He added that UNAIDS Nigeria recommend to the regional office and other stakeholders to make a political decision that will protect the local production of the drugs in Nigeria.
He appealed to ECOWAS and WAHO to stimulate the relationship with all relevant stakeholders and assist UNAIDS to move forward.
`What is most important is to ensure that essential ingredients of the production are made tax free.
“We also want to have legislative components and policies that will make smooth movement of drugs and HIV commodities within the ECOWAS sub-region and central African countries.
“There are a lot of benefits on the local production of the drugs and we will continue promoting it, makes us on the path of taking our destiny into our hands and ends relying on foreign donors,’’ Camara said.