Swiss Pharma Nigeria Limited, a subsidiary of Servier, a French multinational pharmaceutical company, says it has received the World Health Organisation prequalification for zinc dispersible 20mg tablet.
According to a statement, SWIPHA is the first company in Africa to obtain WHO prequalification for zinc tablets.
The Managing Director of Swiss Pharma Nigeria Limited, Frederic Lieutaud, described the WHO prequalification as a rigorous process that evaluates pharmaceutical products based on their quality, safety, and efficacy. This recognition is considered worldwide as a symbol of excellence in pharmaceutical manufacturing.
“We are thrilled to announce to the public that we have received World Health Organization prequalification of Zinc Dispersible 20mg Tablet on the 2nd day of May 2023. As many of you may know, our company has been dedicated to providing high-quality pharmaceutical products that meet the highest safety and efficacy standards for over 47 years,” he said.
Lieutaud disclosed that receiving WHO prequalification was an important accomplishment for the company as it validates the dedication and hard work of our entire team, who have worked tirelessly to ensure that our products meet the highest standards of quality and safety. He stated that the Prequalification is also evidence of our commitment to transparency and accountability in everything we do.
Also speaking on the achievement, the Business Development and Licensing Director, Abbas Sambo, noted that the milestone is a testament to the company’s belief that every child deserves access to safe and effective medicines.
He added that the company understands paediatric health is a critical issue in Nigeria and is proud to be part of the solution.
“With this prequalification, we can now provide the product to organisations and governments worldwide working to improve child health. We remain committed to seeking partnerships with organisations like the Global Fund and USAID to address critical health issues such as Malaria, HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and other infectious diseases. We are actively exploring opportunities to expand our product portfolio to include medicines that can help prevent, treat, and manage these diseases,” Sambo said.
According to the statement, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control in Nigeria commended the company for the WHO prequalification.
The statement said the Director General NAFDAC, Prof Mojisola Adeyeye delivered the commendation during a recent briefing in Lagos.
She said, “This laudable feat is no doubt the outcome of meaningful collaboration between SWIPHA and NAFDAC, as well as a systematic implementation of policies” earlier mentioned. With this achievement, SWIPHA has added another first to its arsenal of firsts.”
Adeyeye noted that the WHO Prequalification of Medicines Programme ensures that medicines supplied by procurement agencies meet acceptable standards of quality, safety, and efficacy. She encouraged other frontline local drug manufacturers to emulate this feat by harmonising collective aspiration and synergy of effort with NAFDAC to achieve more.
