Abuja — DCL Laboratory Products Limited on Friday urged the Federal Government to review import duties on medical products, even as it commended Nigeria’s regulatory agencies for raising health sector standards, curbing substandard products, and enforcing stricter regulations.
Dr Okechukwu Anyanwu, the firm’s General Manager and Chairman, appealed for the organisation’s 20th anniversary celebration in Abuja.
He praised the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and the Medical Laboratory Council of Nigeria (MLCN), noting that regulatory bodies have significantly improved standards in the health sector.
Anyanwu recalled that before regulators stepped in, irregularities plagued the manufacturing and sale of medical items.
“We are not just celebrating 20 years of our laboratory; we are also celebrating 20 years of improvement in diagnosis in Nigeria,” he said.
He explained that in the past, laboratory products were often stored improperly in markets, with reagents requiring cold storage left on open shelves. Such practices, he warned, endangered patients by producing unreliable test results.
Anyanwu commended regulators for embedding stronger policies in the system, but stressed that reviewing import duties would make medical products more affordable for manufacturers and dealers. He also lauded government efforts to encourage local pharmaceutical production and provide an enabling environment, describing the policies as “in the right direction.”
Minister of State for Health, Dr Iziaq Salako, also commended DCL Laboratory for its contributions to the health sector.
Represented by Okpikpi Okpako, Director at the Federal Medical Centre, Salako emphasised that the government alone cannot drive health sector development and welcomed private-sector support.
“All that DCL Laboratory Limited has contributed to the health sector in terms of quality products is a welcome development.
We call on other private-sector companies to emulate DCL’s approach. The Federal Government, through the Ministry of Health, can only wish them well and encourage them to keep the fire burning,” he said.
