In response to the growing crisis of drug abuse among youth, the Emzor Wellness Foundation is launching a N1 billion Anti-Drug Abuse Fund dedicated to critical interventions, providing care and rehabilitation for victims of drug abuse.
The Founder/Group Managing Director, Emzor Pharmaceuticals, Dr Stella Okoli, who disclosed this said the incidence of drug abuse is of grave concern for young people and society as a whole.
Speaking at the annual Thanksgiving and 40th-anniversary dinner of the company, Okoli said the situation had become so bad that Nigerians can no longer fold arms and watch the future go to waste but must unite and take action.
She explained that the N1 billion fund represents a significant investment in addressing the urgent need for support and treatment for those struggling with addiction.
"The menace of drug abuse is becoming a serious problem for our youths and society. The situation is so bad today that we can no longer fold our arms and watch the future go to waste. This is the time for all of us to come together and do something about it.
"For this reason, we shall be unveiling the Emzor Wellness Foundation Anti-Drug Abuse Fund. This will be a 1 billion Naira fund to be used for critical interventions in the care and rehabilitation of victims of drug abuse."
In addition to the anti-drug initiative, the Emzor Wellness Foundation also plans to establish the Dr. Stella Okoli Prize for Entrepreneurship.
"While we are making critical interventions towards ensuring a better future for our youths, it is equally important that we give them the motivation an inspiration they need to pursue their dreams and write their own success stories. This is why we are also launching the Dr Stella Okoli Prize for Entrepreneurship - an annual prize for pioneering and innovative enterprises by female founders under 40.
Unveiling ambitious plans for the future, including a new state-of-the-art Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API) plant in Shagamu, Ogun state, while celebrating its past achievements, she said Emzor has grown into a pharmaceutical giant, now recognized as the largest indigenous pharmaceutical company in Nigeria.
"We have reinforced our position as the largest indigenous pharmaceutical company in Nigeria. Our state-of-the-art factory in Shagamu Ogun State, which is WHO-certified, sits on more than 60 Hectares of land. We call it Emzor Campus. It also boasts of one of the largest API plants on the continent. This is for the manufacture of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients, APIs.
"What this means is that we shall become less dependent on imported raw materials for our products. We shall be saving foreign exchange, while making APIs for other pharmaceutical companies in Nigeria and across Africa.
"The API plant when completed, can produce 400 metric tonnes of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients every year. And it has provision for further expansion! This is moving our nation closer to medicines security and unlimited wellness for our people.
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"In the years ahead, we shall officially commission our API Plant and ultra-modern factory. Our production capacity is set to multiply to meet local demand and also export for other African countries.
We have our eyes set on building a truly global brand bringing unlimited wellness to all wherever they may be around the worlds.
"We are working to ensure that very soon, we shall no longer need to depend on imported medications for most of our basic healthcare needs. We see a future of healthcare security for our nation where unlimited wellness is available to all and affordable by all."
