FG to create more pharmaceutical jobs with ESP – DG

The Director General of the National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRD), Obi Peter Adigwe, has said the intervention of the federal government through the Economic Sustainability Plan (ESP) would spur job creation in the sector.

Daily Trust reports that the ESP is a programme designed by the federal government to help the country weather the economic shock occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Adige who was speaking during a visitation to the institute by the Minister of State for Budget and National Planning, Prince Clem Agba, stated that the N4 billion intervention given to procure high-tech equipment would improve Nigeria’s effort to fight the virus.

“The intervention will not only improve access to health care but also stimulate social economic development like job creation, capacity building and revenue generation.”

He said the intervention has led to it training thousands of herbal practitioners and the move would help them to preserve and scientifically document the knowledge in validating their products.

He added that the interventions would see it’s nanotechnology centre, artificial intelligence and machine learning laboratory improved and designed to spur job creation for millions of Nigerians.

Earlier, Prince Agba said the over 90 equipment bought for the institute would help in sequencing the variants of viruses.

“Thus, the ESP was designed to build resilience in our health sector. I am glad the money is being used for the purposes they are meant,” the minister noted.