Managing Director of Vitamidex, Mr. Bimbo Owolabi, a pharmaceutical company based in Ibadan, Oyo State, believes the time is ripe for Nigeria to make drug fakers face death penalty just as he advocates a review of the law that established NAFDAC to make it regulate only drugs while another agency takes charge of foods regulation.How would you assess the performance of NAFDAC in controlling the influx of fake drugs in the Nigerian market'NAFDAC is trying but the issue of fake drug is beyond the shores of this country. But if I have my way, I would rather prefer NAFDAC to face the regulations of drugs and leave the issue of foods regulation to another agency. NAFDAC, as presently constituted is saddled with too much responsibility. We know how big Nigeria is with more than 150 million people.Anywhere you have a depressed economy, it brings out the worst in people. You know in a good economy the consumer always looks for the best product not the one considered to be cheap. But I always say that the most expensive drug in the world is the one that does not work because you have just paid something for nothing. And if your sickness persists, you have to go and buy another one. But there are some life saving drugs that once you miss using the appropriate one that is the end of the road.The present Director General of NAFDAC is doing a wonderful job. When he came to office, I think he was misunderstood, because the precedent set by Prof. Dora Akunyili was so high, but styles are different. Akunyili was dynamic, energetic and all that. But the style of the incumbent DG is different but still very effective. In the beginning, we thought he was giving us problems but we are now seeing the result.He is advocating for stiffer penalty for drug fakers but we also have to acknowledge problems we have with our profession as pharmacists. We do not have strong lobby group like others. When the NBA or NMA speaks, everybody listens. But in our own industry, we don't have a strong lobby group. Pharmacists seem to be passive. And the truth is that politics and business are intertwined. What I would rather advocate for my colleagues is that even if some of them do not want to get involved in active politics, they should at least support those in politics, so that at the end of the day, if they want to push anything at the National Assembly, they would have enough support from the lawmakers because without a strong lobby, you can't get many things done.How does the menace of fake drug affect your business'It affects everybody. If I can determine what a fake drug looks like, my driver or my parents might not be able to do so. What if I am not around and my wife goes to buy drug and she buys fake drug for my children' So, in a way, it affects everybody.Also for us in the business, it affects us, because if I put 200 milligram in my product and another man puts 100 milligram, naturally it has a price advantage. The negative economic impact is not something we can imagine. If I have the powers, I would rather spare a drug dealer than to let a fake drug dealer escape punishment.Will you say Nigerian pharmaceutical companies produce enough drugs for local consumption'No. I will say that 80 per cent of the drugs we consume today in the country are imported. The factors responsible for this are too many. I believe the Federal Government has not got certain things right by dancing to the tune of the World Trade Organisations (WTO). This body, as far as I am concerned, is an aberration. China protected its market for close to two decades and we know what happened. Even the U. S. that preaches the gospel of WTO gives subsidy to its famers' Nigeria needs to protect her industries.Let me give you an instance. If a particular drug were scarce in Nigeria, as a businessman would I not produce it' Though there would be time lag but that time lag is not the end of life. It is those bitter pills that we needed to swallow. Today, Nigeria still imports multivitamins, pain killers. And I have a machine that can produce 60,000 capsules per hour. If there is a need for a machine that can produce much higher number I can bring them in because I am sure there is a demand for it. We need to practice protectionism for now. We are working at a disadvantage, even now that most of our infrastructures are not working. How can my company compete with another in Mexico, for example, where there is constant power supply'Above all, if we have a government that really has the interest of the people at heart, it can stand for what it thinks is good for the country, short term pains, long term gains.A source informed me that you intend to run for the governorship of your state in the next elections on the platform of the People's Democratic Party (PDP). Is that true'YesWhy are you going into politics'I have two reasons for this. One is personal and that has to do with the fact that I actually don't enjoy my wealth and I will tell you why. I have many of my relatives that need help. My immediate siblings are doing fine. Whenever I go to my village, you see people coming to tell you that his or her child has seven distinctions but he/she could not sponsor his education. This kind of thing moves me to tears. I work hard but the bulk of my money doesn't really get to my pocket. I am just looking at the possibilities of trying another opportunity where I can serve people better. I know for sure that if I am in government, I would be able to initiate and implement policies that will change the lives of my people.
Click here to read full news..
