By Ngozi Onyeakusi—Health journalists under the auspices of the Health Writers’ Association of Nigeria (HEWAN) will hold its 13th Annual Symposium/Excellence Award on June 27, 2024.

The theme of the symposium is – “Dwindling Local Drug Production and High Cost of Essential Medicines: Rethinking Strategies for Growth”.

Disclosing this in a press statement jointly signed by the President, Chioma Obinna and the Secretary, Lucy Osuizigbo-Okechukwu explained that the theme became necessary due to the rising cost of drugs and essential medicines in the country where patients with chronic illnesses and many vulnerable Nigerians are finding it difficult to buy their medications and access quality healthcare services.

“Today, many Nigerians can no longer afford medicines for their ailments, couple with the high level of fake drugs in circulation.

“HEWAN, in line with its visions and missions, believes that the array of experts from the pharmaceutical industry would deliberate on the issue as part of finding a lasting solution to the problem.”

Continuing, they said: “The keynote speaker, Mr Oluwatosin Jolayemi, President, Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Group of Manufacturers’ Association of Nigeria (PMG-MAN), and other stakeholders would discuss some of the challenges and hindrances to local drug manufacturing in the country and ways to address them.

“The Sub-Themes for the event which are: ‘Funding as a Catalyst for a Resilient Pharmaceutical Sector’ and ‘HPV Vaccination in Nigeria: Challenges, prospects, and Way Forward’, would be delivered by Pharm. Adewale Oladigbolu,
National Chairman, Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN), and Dr. Abimbola Bowale,
Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, respectively.

“Pharm. Akinjide Adeosun, Chief Executive Officer of St Racheal’s Pharmaceuticals, would chair the symposium, which would take place at the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), Alausa, Ikeja.

HEWAN will also be awarding Pharm. Fidelis Ayebae of Fidson Healthcare PLC, the Director-General, Nigeria Institute of Medical Research (NIMR), Prof. Babatunde Salako and Dr. Ignorgbor Jude Chukwumeke, an academic and researcher in public health and environmental microbiology for outstanding performance in their areas of speciality.