Abstract
The performance of any enterprise is influenced by the environment in which it is located. The last two decades has witnessed the pre and post democratic governance in Nigeria as well as a number of government initiatives aimed at addressing some challenges facing the health delivery system of the country. The purpose of this paper was to study the capacity utilization of the pharmaceutical industry within the period to understand whether there was or no association in the performance with these changes. A survey of the capacity utilization in the production of solid and liquid dosage forms was carried out. A study of the availability and distribution of scientific workforce in the industry was also undertaken. Interviews were held with some individuals to gain more insight in the activities of the pharmaceutical industry. The scientific workforce within and among organizations varied considerably and the variation was influenced by perceived benefits and opportunities. The study showed that the capacity utilization of the pharmaceutical industry increased steadily but marginally over the period. There was reason to believe that the marginal increments were influence by the government policies and initiatives during this period, but could be better if some economic investments such as steady electricity were made. It was concluded that a sustained support and provision of infrastructures by the government together with trained and motivated scientific workforce are important in improving the capacity utilization in the pharmaceutical industry. Key words: Government initiatives, infrastructures, scientific workforce, capacity utilization, pharmaceutical industry.
Highlights
Nigeria is a relatively large country with an estimated population of 169 million and it is endowed with natural resources, high levels of human and social capital
The questionnaire was filled by officers who had the relevant information on the following areas: the nature of pharmaceutical business, age of the organization, line of products, annual installed and used equipment capacities, staffing and their productivity, number of shifts per day, sources of raw and packaging materials, research and development activities by Nigerian pharmaceutical industry and the use or otherwise of locally fabricated machinery
The determinants of choice of area of practice within the industry were monetary reward (40%), opportunity for promotion (18%), job security (16%), public perception (15%), job contents and challenges (11%). Benefits such as incentives bonuses, company automobile, stock options and potentials for and advancement more often than not account for how opportunities within the sections of the industry are rated and are the driving forces for seeking employment opportunities by scientists. Both indigenous and multinational establishments are involved in the manufacture of pharmaceuticals in Nigeria and over 90% of them are concentrated in Lagos, the commercial nerve of the country, and the contiguous states
Summary
Nigeria is a relatively large country with an estimated population of 169 million and it is endowed with natural resources, high levels of human and social capital. It is plagued with a very high incidence of disease, poverty and malnutrition and has lower life expectancy than some other African countries of comparable economy (WHO, 2013). The role of the pharmaceutical industry in a country such as Nigeria in the provision of safe, pure, quality and efficacious products to meet the healthcare need of the populace cannot be over-emphasized. Provision of essential medicines by this sector would curb infiltration of the market with spurious and substandard products and would enhance the economy
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