Prof. Oluwarotimi Akinola, President, Society of Gynecologists and Obstetrics of Nigeria (SOGON) has urged nursing mothers to stop alcohol intake after delivery.
Akinola gave the advice at the unveiling of the first Oxytocin and Magnesium Phosphate manufactured on Wednesday in Lagos.
He said that oxytocin stopped excessive bleeding while the alcohol intake pushed more blood out of the nursing mother because it opposed oxytocin functions administered on them
He said that alcohol intake could encourage haemorrhage while oxytocin prevented excessive bleeding.
The Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole in a message, lauded Juhel Nigeria Limited, for being the first firm to manufacture the drug in Nigeria.
Adewole represented by Dr Adebimpe Adebiyi, a director in the ministry however, said that the importation of oxytocin would not be completely eradicated for now due to the policy of trade liberalization.
He said there was need to ensure affordability and quality of the drug.
“Lesser volume of the produce will be imported and with time, we will begin to export to other African countries as we have the capacity to produce more than we can use.
“This development puts the Nigerian health sector on a good space internationally,” Adewole said.
Dr Frank Jacobs, President of Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) said that the fact that the medicines were produced here would solve the issue of handling and temperature management.
Jacobs said that the issue of handling and temperature management had compromised the efficacy of the products.
Dr Ifeanyi Okoye, CEO, Juhel Nigeria Ltd said that the manufacturing of the products in Nigeria would further promote the distribution and dispensation of the drugs.
Okoye said that Juhel Nigeria Ltd decided to manufacture the drugs to ensure their availability and to reduce the country’s maternal mortality rate, which had remained high in the world.
“We will get to a stage when we provide the chillers for storage of the injections and also monitor its storage to ensure compliance to safety.
“Today, we are proud to be part of this epoch-making event of producing the first oxytocin injection manufactured in Africa.
“This is our contribution as the largest parental company in sub-Sahara Africa towards reducing maternal death burden in Nigeria,” he said. (NAN)