The Healthcare Equipment and Allied Products Providers of Nigeria has called on the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control to lower the costs associated with obtaining Good Manufacturing Practice certificates for medical devices.
According to The PUNCH, HEPAN made this appeal in a statement released on Friday.
The organization also commended President Bola Tinubu for enacting an executive order aimed at boosting the local production of medical and healthcare products.
It is noteworthy that in June, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Pate, announced that President Tinubu had signed an executive order to enhance local manufacturing of healthcare products, including pharmaceuticals, diagnostics, devices such as needles and syringes, biologicals, and medical textiles.
Pate emphasized that this executive order is crucial to the success of the Presidential Initiative for Unlocking the Healthcare Value Chain, a program approved by the President in October 2023.
The executive order, as explained by Pate, removes tariffs, excise duties, and Value Added Tax on specified machinery, equipment, and raw materials, with the aim of lowering production costs and increasing the competitiveness of local manufacturers.
In their statement, HEPAN highlighted that the order would help to mitigate the rising costs of medical services in Nigeria, especially at a time when inflation has severely constrained disposable incomes for many citizens.
The National President of HEPAN, Dr. Ifeanyi Nwankwo, stated, “The implication of this order by President Tinubu would go a long way in greatly reducing the cost of medical services for everyday Nigerians while also creating more jobs for our unemployed youths.”
The Board Chairman of HEPAN, Mustapha Falaki, also added, “This is a laudable policy needing the support and collaboration of all industry stakeholders to ensure its successful implementation.”
