Health
PASA advocate for 1 City- 1 FSTP Initiative across Africa
Mariam Sanni
The Pan Africa Association of Sanitation Actors ( PASA) has advocate for 1 City- 1 Fecal Sludge Treatment Plant (FSTP)Initiative across all cities in Africa.
The Executive Secretary PASA, Kitch Bawa, made this call during a zoom media briefing with Africa Media Practitioners.
Bawa explained that FSTP initiative is to strengthen the sanitation value chain in Africa by putting in place an appropriate support mechanism to improve the management of faecal sludge in all African cities by 2030..
He lamented that no cities across the country have any treatment plan , adding that the level of treatment in Africa is very low .
According to him, there are alot to be done after people have constructed toilet.
He noted that poor treatment plants will poses health risks to communities at large.
The ES said that the initiative will also focus on ensuring that there is enough manpower and technical capacities that all FS constructed is treated.
He said the main aim is also to ensure that there is dialogue and action is taken.
Bawa added that there are many toilets in Nigeria but there are no FSTP
He assured that initiative will help to create employment opportunities, improve health care, improve public health and encourage climate finance .
The 1 City- 1 FSTP Initiative of PASA which will be launched in Kampala Uganda, during the Mayor’s and Local Authorities Forum at the AFWASA Congress on 18th February.
PASA which is launched in 2019, is an umbrella body of national associations of non-sewered sanitation actors in Africa. They are a leading association of sanitation actors operating professionally and safely.
PASA is working in 25 countries to strengthen the sanitation value chain across Africa.
Health
Experts call for pharma sector harmonisation
Health sector experts have called for the harmonisation of pharmaceutical activities in Nigeria to eliminate duplication, enhance efficiency, and improve access to quality medicines and health products.
The call was made on Wednesday in Abuja during a high-level stakeholders’ engagement focused on aligning efforts under the Improving Access to Medicines through Policy and Technical Support (IMPACT) project.
Dr Tayo Hamzat, Supply Chain Management Officer at the World Health Organisation (WHO), said the engagement was timely, considering the number of ongoing but uncoordinated interventions in the sector.
“Harmonisation will lead to faster access to health products, lower costs, improved efficiency, and better regulatory oversight.
“It requires collaboration and a focus on strengthening national systems.”
He described Nigeria’s pharmaceutical system as “robust and huge” but hindered by weak coordination and fragmented management structures.
Dr Francis Ohanyido, Director-General of the West Africa Institute of Public Health, said such collaboration was “common sense” given limited development financing and the need to optimise resources.
“Market shaping is a critical tool.
“Harmonisation can help us identify clear gaps we need to fill, especially in preparation for the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA),” he said.
Dr Anthony Ayeke, Programme Manager for Health and Nutrition at the EU Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, reaffirmed the EU’s commitment to supporting a resilient, locally driven pharmaceutical sector.
“Harmonisation can accelerate local production, reduce import dependency, and improve healthcare system resilience,” he noted.
He also recommended regulatory streamlining, value chain capacity building, innovation, and public-private partnerships.
Dr Abdu Mukhtar, National Coordinator of the Pharmaceutical Value Chain Transformation Committee (PVAC), commended ongoing efforts under the IMPACT project.
Represented by Dr Muhammad Balarabe, Technical Associate at PVAC, he emphasised the committee’s focus on catalysing local production and attracting sustainable investment.
“Let’s use this platform to strengthen partnerships and align interventions with the vision of affordable, high-quality healthcare for all Nigerians,” he said.
Dr Obi Adigwe, Director-General of the National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRD), said fragmented interventions and redundant regulations had long stunted growth in the sector.
Represented by Prof. Philip Builders, Professor of Pharmaceutics at NIPRD he said: “Equitable access to quality medicine is the foundation of universal healthcare.
“The lack of access is not just a health issue; it’s about equity, national security, and economic survival.
“Harmonisation isn’t just about avoiding duplication; it’s about aligning policy, investment, and technical frameworks to achieve measurable results.”
He urged stakeholders to develop practical short, medium, and long-term strategies to make Nigeria’s pharmaceutical sector self-reliant, globally competitive, and able to meet national healthcare demands.
The meeting brought together key government agencies, development partners, and private sector actors, each reaffirming a shared commitment to a unified, efficient pharmaceutical ecosystem in Nigeria.
NAN
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