Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has said his government is undertaking a holistic reform of the state’s healthcare system, repositioning Edo to become the hub for the production of medicines and other pharmaceutical products in the country.
Obaseki said this when he received the President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), Pharm. (Prof.) Cyril Usifoh and members of the association, who were on a courtesy visit, at the Government House in Benin City.
The governor said his government will collaborate with the PSN to sustain the investment in the state’s primary healthcare system, train professionals, and regulate the pharmaceutical industry, ensuring the health and well-being of Edo residents.
Obaseki also noted that his administration is working with the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to set up a cutting-edge laboratory and research center in the state.
He noted, “I commend the group for their visits. Edo State has hosted the annual conference of this society because we know their importance to our well-being as a people and as a country. We are also working with NAFDAC to have a cutting-edge laboratory and center for them here in Edo State.
“This is important because of our focus to place healthcare as a top priority as a State. We are an economic and social hub. You can’t go to other parts of the country without passing through the State. So, we have made it a junction in infrastructure, healthcare services, electricity, and more.”
Obaseki continued: “The health and well-being of our people is important to us as a government, and we are working very hard to ensure that requisite investment is made at the primary healthcare level. We began a reform six years ago in the healthcare sector where we identified the basic healthcare system as the area of priority and also healthcare financing.
“We require the human capacity to drive the reforms in the healthcare system. This is where we need professional bodies like yours. As a government, aside from supporting you, our key function is to assist you in regulating your profession and business.
“Our emphasis today is to make the requisite investment in primary healthcare, support the training of professionals and help you to regulate the industry to make sure our citizens are safe and not exposed to the danger of improper medication.”
The governor further noted, “Collaborating with you is important and critical to us as we have seen that one of the drivers of primary healthcare and primary healthcare attendance is the provision of genuine drugs and medicine. If people know that they will get good medicine from our primary healthcare system, they will come.
“We have made progress in the health sector in the State. We want to also be a hub for the production of medicine. We have laid out 1000 hectares for the Benin Enterprise Park, where we can provide 24/7 electricity because the Park is situated next to a gas field.”
On his part, Prof. Usifoh thanked the governor for creating the enabling environment for pharmaceutical practice to thrive in the State, adding, “We are here to assure you of our support as a body.”
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