The need for Nigeria to strengthen local pharmaceutical production, expand access to essential medicines and improve preparedness for epidemics and pandemics took a centre stage at a side event during the recently concluded United Nations General Assembly in Midtown Manhattan, New York.
The programme was hosted by 10Generation, in partnership with the Institute of Scientology as well as Word Mission Foundation in New York.
The event brought attention to the relationship between pharmaceutical manufacturing, public health education and Africa’s capacity to prevent and manage future health emergencies.
Moderated by international broadcast and multimedia Journalist, Lydia Enyidiya Eke, the discussion examined the opportunities for Nigeria to strengthen its pharmaceutical industry, serve its domestic market more effectively and position locally manufactured medicines for eligible regional and international markets.
A central issue was the need to look beyond Nigeria’s domestic pharmaceutical market and explore the country’s potential to become a stronger participant in the global pharmaceutical industry.
With Africa’s population approaching 1.5 billion, the continent represents a substantial market for medicines, vaccines, diagnostics and other essential healthcare products.
However, converting this demand into improved health outcomes requires investment in manufacturing capacity, research, quality assurance, infrastructure and effective regulation.
The discussion however, highlighted the importance of building local capacity to meet healthcare needs while ensuring that pharmaceutical products intended for international markets satisfy the relevant safety, quality and regulatory requirements.
Beyond manufacturing, the programme addressed the importance of preparing Nigeria and other African countries to prevent, detect and manage epidemics and pandemics.
The panelists who spoke included President and Founder, World Mission Foundation who is the main Representative to the UN ECOSOC, Ambassador Anthony.
Others were Fadja Robert-Carr, of 10 Generation and Nicole Berth, Community Affairs, Institute of Scientology.
The speakers noted that health emergencies could expose weaknesses in medicine supply chains, healthcare infrastructure, disease surveillance and public communication.
Strengthening these systems before an outbreak occurs is therefore an important part of building national and regional health security.
Expanding reliable local pharmaceutical production could contribute to this effort by diversifying sources of essential medicines and reducing exposure to international supply disruptions.
Nevertheless, effective preparedness also requires trained health personnel, laboratory capacity, emergency response systems and coordinated public health policies.
The conversation underscored the importance of treating preparedness as a continuous responsibility rather than an activity undertaken only when an outbreak emerges.
Public Health Communication as a Prevention Tool was also a part of the panel discussion.
Public service announcements and sustained health enlightenment campaigns equally featured among the issues highlighted during the programme.
Radio, television, digital media and community communication channels can help people understand disease risks, recognise the importance of prevention and obtain reliable information about appropriate health practices.
Effective communication is particularly important during epidemics and pandemics, when misinformation and delayed access to credible information can complicate public health responses.
The discussion pointed to the need for accurate, accessible and actionable public health messages that reach people across different communities.
For Nigeria, this means strengthening collaboration among health authorities, medical professionals, pharmaceutical manufacturers, researchers and the media.
Public health communication must also be supported by accessible healthcare services so that people can act on the information they receive.
Another important dimension of the discussion was the need to place disease prevention at the centre of healthcare planning.
Prevention includes immunisation, sanitation, health education, screening, early diagnosis and access to appropriate medical interventions. These measures can reduce avoidable illness and help ease pressure on healthcare facilities.
The right to health is recognised within international human rights frameworks, although the specific legal obligations and mechanisms for implementation differ across countries.
This makes the responsibility to provide reliable health information, strengthen preventive services and improve access to essential healthcare an important issue for policymakers and public health institutions.
Moderating the discussion, Eke brought her experience in broadcast journalism, editorial leadership and public-interest communication to a conversation connecting pharmaceutical development with health security and public enlightenment.
Her participation reflects the role of professional moderators and journalists in facilitating conversations on issues with implications for public policy, economic development and the well-being of communities.
The issues raised at the Manhattan programme point to the importance of a coordinated approach to Africa’s health future.
Nigeria’s pharmaceutical industry requires an enabling environment for responsible investment, innovation, quality manufacturing and regulatory compliance. At the same time, health systems need sustained investment in preparedness, prevention and public communication.
Governments, manufacturers, research institutions, healthcare professionals and media organisations all have roles to play in advancing these priorities.
For Nigeria and the wider African continent, the challenge is to translate market potential into stronger production capacity, and public health knowledge into practical preventive action.
The broader message is that health security cannot depend exclusively on responding to emergencies.
It must be built through sustained investment in local capacity, effective healthcare systems and informed communities.