FG, global experts move to strengthen medicine security in Nigeria
The federal government has intensified efforts to strengthen medicine security and expand access to cutting-edge treatments through collaboration with international partners, including US-based non-profit Caring Cross.
Speaking at a high-level ministerial engagement in Abuja on Tuesday, the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Iziaq Adekunle Salako, said the administration of Bola Ahmed Tinubu is committed to translating scientific research into practical healthcare solutions.
“Our goal is to deliver locally relevant solutions, strengthen medicine security, and build resilient health systems across Africa,” Salako said.
He noted that initiatives such as the Presidential Vaccine Advisory Committee (PVAC) and the Pharma Sector Presidential Order are already driving reforms, adding that they are “catalysing health security, economic growth and employment through evidence-based policy and value-chain transformation.”
Salako emphasised that collaboration remains central to the government’s strategy. According to him, “the mandate of the Ministry is to foster innovation, coordinate institutions, and ensure that these efforts directly impact people’s health and wellbeing.”
The engagement, led by the Director-General of the National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development, Obi Adigwe, focused on improving access to advanced medical technologies such as Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy.
Adigwe described the meeting as a major milestone, saying it should be remembered “as the dawn of a new era, where science meets impact, research informs policy, and innovation saves lives.”
He stressed that many Africans have long been excluded from breakthrough treatments due to limited local capacity, noting that the initiative aims to reverse that trend.
