Three companies—AMA Medical Manufacturing Company, Echitab Study Group Nigeria, and Micropharm Ltd., UK—signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Tuesday to produce Anti-Snake Venom (ASV) drugs in Nigeria.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the signing ceremony, held at the AMA Medical Manufacturing Company in Kudenda, Kaduna, marks a significant milestone in the nation’s efforts to locally manufacture these vital medications.
Speaking at the MOU signing ceremony, Prof. Nasidi Abdulsalami, Chairman of AMA Medical Manufacturing Company, described the agreement as a significant step forward for the country.
Abdulsalami emphasized that the MOU is a positive example of public-private partnership, and he expressed optimism about the full participation of the federal and state governments, as well as other Nigerians.
He said, “We expect meaningful Nigerians that are blessed to contribute because it is a social investment aimed at saving lives. The ASV drugs are life saving products. We can never allow the drugs to vanish because Nigerians need them, especially the farmers and herders.”
“The MOU signing today serves as the beginning of self-sufficiency for the product not only in the country, but the entire continent because countries look up to Nigeria for good leadership.”
“I am proud to announce that the World Health Organisation has tested all the ASV drugs available in the world and found out that our ASV, for which we are developing this partnership today with micropharm, is the best. Micropharm products that are produced in the UK are the best; the second is the one produced by Costa Rica.”
Prof. Nasidi Abdulsalami praised Dr. Nandul Durfa, the Managing Director of Echitab Study Group Nigeria, for his unwavering dedication to the goal of locally producing Anti-Snake Venom (ASV) drugs in Nigeria.
Abdulsalami noted that the achievement marked a significant milestone that should be celebrated, as it provided a long-awaited solution to a persistent problem.
Mr. Lan Cameroon, Chief Executive Officer of Micropharm, expressed his gratitude for the signing of the MOU and lamented the ongoing scarcity of ASV drugs in the country. He recounted that the search for ASV drugs in Nigeria began in the early 1970s when Prof. David Wanns of ABU, Zaria, took a live snake from Nigeria to Liverpool, where the first venom was extracted for production. Cameroon also stated that with local production, the cost of ASV drugs would significantly decrease, and the drugs would become more readily available.
Mr. Marc Nassar of Von hram remarked that the MoU would introduce new technology into Nigeria, noting that his organization, known for its expertise in managing technology, was the first to bring advanced technology to the existing AMA plant. He expressed optimism that the collaboration would harness this expertise to achieve success.
