NIPRD PARTNERS WITH NOTAP TO PROMOTE PHARMACEUTICAL TECHNOLOGY

The determination of Nigeria to make a global impact in specialized areas particularly in the science, technology and health sectors, as encapsulated in the vision 20:2020 strategy of the present government has been further strengthened as the National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRD) enters into a working relationship with the National Office for Technological Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP) to promote and protect pharmaceutical technology for national economic development.

The partnership, according to NIPRD Director-General, Professor Karniyus S. Gamaniel (OON), would guide them on how to protect new processes discovered in the development of local products. In his words “our role among others is to link the modern technological processes with the knowledge behind traditional medicines, NOTAP which is the focus institution on technology promotion acquisition would guide the process of transferring this technology and also ensure the protection of intectual properties”.

The Director-General of NOTAP Engr. Umar Bindir noted that NIPRD is a branded pharmaceutical institution not only in West Africabut in the whole of Africa. “It is natural for the relevant agencies to rally around such institutions to make sure we come together to push our country forward in this specialist health sector, they have completely decoded the linkages between traditional medicinal practices and the formal practices, they have decoded the processes of coming out with formal medicine from leaves in the bush” Engineer Bindir Stated.

The NOTAP Boss therefore called on the federal Government to support research to enable NIPRD showcase what it is capable of showcasing to the rest of the world “for Nigeria to actually make progress in this specialized area, the traditionally automated economy that makes you very visible and important in the world.  Science and technologyhave to be evolving in clusters irrespective of what Ministry and agency it is located; therefore we are trying to forge what we call the national system of innovation. Institutions that have got similar mandates must evolve together and avoid working in silence so that we can put our country on the map of technological progress” he added.

The NOTAP Chief Executive commended NIPRD for having the highest level capability and capacity, in terms of manpower; he therefore advised them to jealously guard their research processes and equipment so that we would maintain our patent rights for our national interest and prestige.