FG secures $5.5bn health investment, to train 2,000 professionals yearly
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof Muhammad Pate, has said the country has secured $5.5bn in private sector capital.
Pate, who disclosed this on his X handle on Sunday, said the investment was achieved under the leadership of President Bola Tinubu.
He also said the country signed a partnership with Empower School of Health, Geneva, that will see to the establishment of Africa’s foremost pharmaceutical manufacturing training institute, Empower Academy Nigeria, which will train 2,000 Nigerian professionals annually.
The minister posted, “Under the innovative leadership of H.E. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, Nigeria has advanced 22 new large-scale health sector manufacturing projects funded by $5.5bn in private sector capital, but as these new investments come into our country, our focus on cultivating a world-class pharmaceutical manufacturing workforce in-country has sharpened.
“Against the backdrop of Nigeria recently securing €1bn from the European Investment Bank and an additional $1bn from AfreximBank to incentivise health sector value chain localisation, we have signed an agreement with Empower School of Health, Geneva, that will see to the establishment of Africa’s foremost pharmaceutical manufacturing training institute, Empower Academy Nigeria.
“Functioned to accommodate knowledge transfer in support of the local production of pharmaceutical excipients, active pharmaceutical ingredients, and advanced dosage forms such as inhalers, extended-release medications, and dermatological patches, Empower Academy Nigeria will advance best practice in process engineering, regulatory compliance, quality control, environmental monitoring, and other important fields.”
He noted that the academy has the mandate and capacity to train and upskill up to 2,000 Nigerian professionals annually.
He further said that the academy, supported by cutting-edge equipment and world-class facilities, will offer certification courses in partnership with the Africa CDC, the World Health Organisation, the United Nations Institute for Training and Research, and the International Federation of Pharmacists, amongst others.
Last week, PUNCH Online reported that the Presidential Initiative for Unlocking the Healthcare Value Chain has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Empower School of Health (Empower Swiss), Geneva to establish a Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Training Academy in Nigeria.
The strategic partnership aims to bridge the workforce gap in the pharmaceutical sector and support the national goal of producing 70 per cent of pharmaceuticals by 2030 and 60 per cent of vaccines by 2040 in line with the vision set by the Africa Centres for Disease Control.
PVAC is a strategic initiative launched in October 2023 under the leadership of President Tinubu, which aims to catalyse the transformation of Nigeria’s healthcare ecosystem through substantial investments and enhanced private-sector participation.
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