Pharmaceutical giant May & Baker Nig. Plc. is celebrating its 80th anniversary by renewing its commitment to promoting healthcare in Nigeria through the production of medical products of international standards.
The company's managing director, Patrick Ajah, made the assurance at a press conference in Lagos on Monday.
Mr Ajah described the celebration as a milestone, noting that the company was founded on September 4, 1944.
He said the company began manufacturing drugs in 1976.
Mr Ajah said the company, over the years, faced many operational challenges but its resilience and commitment to promoting healthcare kept it moving forward.
On activities to mark the anniversary, Mr Ajah said the company would donate a standard borehole to the Egusi Ota community in Ogun to improve the community’s access to clean water.
He also said the company would renovate some almshouses in Lagos and its environs.
Article page with promotion of financial support
He added that the company will organize a march for life during which market women and passersby will be screened and receive medical care.
Mr Ajah also said May & Baker would pay the school fees of five financially destitute but brilliant students of the University of Ibadan to enable them graduate.
“May & Baker has gone through many stages since its inception on September 4, 1944, as Nigeria’s first pharmaceutical company,” Ajah said.
He noted that the company partnered with the federal government to build a biovaccine factory in 2005.
“A lot has happened since then. We hope to be able to open the biovaccine factory very soon.”
“Similarly, in 2008, the company started construction of a pharmaceutical center, a WHO standard pharmaceutical equipment, which was put into operation on June 27, 2011 and has the capacity to produce about six billion tablets and 37.5 million liquids each year.
“In commemoration of the 80th anniversary, we have decided to give back to society through some projects in key areas of need,” said Ajah.
May & Baker pharmaceutical sales and marketing director Obinna Emeribe said the company was working to produce a range of new products aimed at promoting healthy living.
Mr Emeribe said May & Baker planned to launch at least seven new products before the end of 2024.
According to him, apart from many corporate social responsibilities, May & Baker is working with research centres in Nigeria including the National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRD), Abuja to commercialise drugs for the treatment of sickle cell anaemia.
“May & Baker is currently partnering with NIPRD, which led the establishment of our herbal plant in Ota.
“Very soon, probably in the next month or two, another product of a Nigerian professor’s research, called Rofeda – the bitter leaf capsule – will be marketed in Nigeria by May & Baker, courtesy of our herbaceous plant.
“There are very important ingredients in the normal bitter leaf we eat that help human life.
“Our continued investment in research and development, our focus on leveraging cutting-edge technologies and our commitment to collaborations and partnerships will guide us as we navigate the changing healthcare landscape,” he said.
(YAYA)