AKOR SYLVESTER, Abuja
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has said it is leveraging on modern technologies and innovative approaches to tackle drugs counterfeiting and unregistered products in the country.
This is as the agency lamented that counterfeiters have become more sophisticated despite efforts to clear the country of such unhealthy practices.
The Director General of NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisiola Christianah Adeyeye who stated this at the two-day sensitisation and awareness workshop on Greenbook.
Traceability Project, and Paediatric Policy in the North-Central zone in Abuja Wednesday, said, over the years, Nigeria like many other Low- and Middle-Income countries-has faced a persistent challenge, the menace of Substandard and Falsified (SF) medical products, commonly referred to as counterfeit or fake medicines.
Adeyeye said: “These products are introduced by unscrupulous actors seeking profit at the expense of public health.
This is one of the gravest threats to human life and dignity”.
She said NAFDAC has consistently deployed multiple strategies to combat such products.
Listing the strategies to include: Consumer Safety Publications and public notices in newspapers, the Shine Your Eyes program on NTA, deployments of technologies such as MAS, Truscan, and Minilab Health-focused programs and others.
She however expressed worry that, despite these efforts, counterfeiters have become more sophisticated, making the agency to leverage modern technologies and innovative approaches to stay ahead of counterfeiters.
The NAFDAC boss said the Workshop was designed to sensitize stakeholders and provide hands-on training on three critical initiatives such as NAFDAC Greenbook, Pharmaceutical Products Traceability Regulations, 2024 and the NAFDAC Pediatric.
Others he said, we’re: “An online resource for verifying the registration status of medical products.
Enter the product name, brand name, or registration number to confirm authenticity. Consumer Protection: Empowers consumers to avoid fake or substandard products.
“Pharmaceutical Products Traceability Regulations, 2024 Provides a legal framework for tracking drugs and related products across the supply chain using unique identifiers.
Nigeria is the first in Africa and second globally to adopt this technology”
.
According to her: “During the COVID-19 vaccine rollout this system enabled rapid identification and recall
of defective batches within 24 hours.
Implementation is phased, starting with public health commodities such as ATM products, narcotic products, and now MNCH Commodities.
“Helps stakeholders detect and prevent SF products from entering the supply chain. The NAFDAC Pediatric Regulation, 2024. Addresses the unique healthcare needs of children.
Ensures pediatric medicines meet the highest standards of quality, safety, and efficacy”
Stating that combating SF medical products is a collective responsibility, the NAFDAC boss called on all stakeholders in the healthcare space to support the initiatives, adding that “Together, we can ensure that
every medicine in Nigeria is safe, effective, and traceable, thereby safeguarding the health of our people”.
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