Nigeria, Chinese Firm Sign Agreement For In-country Insulin Production

The Nigerian authorities has moved to halt importing insulin and physique a capableness to nutrient insulin locally successful the state to tackle diabetes.

The curate of Innovation, Science, and Technology, Uche Geoffrey Nnaji, disclosed this astatine the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) connected Sustainable Insulin Production successful Nigeria connected Thursday successful Abuja betwixt the Ministry, done its Agency, the National Biotechnology Research and Development Agency (NABRDA), and the Shanghai Haiqi Industrial Company Limited of China.

Minister further said that for decades’ millions of Nigerians surviving with diabetes had depended connected imported insulin, often astatine precocious outgo and constricted availability, hence this statement betwixt the Ministry done its Agency NABRDA and the Chinese company, diabetic citizens successful the state tin present entree their drugs locally astatine a debased cost.

Uche emphasised that localising insulin accumulation volition not lone code a captious wellness request but besides make jobs, physique method expertise, and presumption Nigeria arsenic a determination hub for aesculapian biotechnology, which is successful enactment with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

The curate applauded the initiative, saying that the Ministry was converting probe into production, adding that the concern underscored the heavy relationship betwixt the 2 countries and it demonstrated what could beryllium achieved, erstwhile science, exertion and planetary practice travel unneurotic successful work of humanity.

Also speaking, the manager wide of the National Biotechnology Research and Development Agency (NABRDA), Prof. Abdullahi Mustapha, said that the task would alteration probe into practical, homegrown solutions that would  code nationalist needs.

He besides said that the collaboration with the Chinese institution reflected the country’s increasing capableness to prosecute successful high-impact biotechnology probe and development, focusing connected healthcare innovation.

Earlier, the wide manager of Shanghai Haiqi Industrial Company, Bokai Shai, said that the collaboration’s intent was to heighten the country’s insulin accumulation and beforehand the improvement of Nigerian pharmaceutical industries.