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NAFDAC to promote herbal medicine, local manufacturers

By Adaku Onyenucheya
14 December 2017   |   4:18 am
The Director General of the National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Prof. Mojisola Christianah Adeyeye has said the agency...

PHOTO: mexperience.com

The Director General of the National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Prof. Mojisola Christianah Adeyeye has said the agency, under her administration will promote development of herbal medicine.

She said the agency would also support local pharmaceutical manufacturers through the provision of regulatory guidelines and training as well as tackling headlong challenges faced by micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) in their dealings with NAFDAC.

Adeyeye who gave the pledge during her visit to the agency’s office at Isolo, Lagos, said the agency would work with the manufacturer’s group and other stakeholders on the drug distribution chain as well as promote export of value added and processed agricultural products in tandem with federal government’s efforts to diversify the economy from its monolithic dependence on export of oil.

“We shall align NAFDAC with international standards in medical product regulation to ensure safety, efficiency and quality of locally manufactured drugs and medical products. This will contribute towards the elimination of substandard and unsafe medical products and will also create market opportunities for Nigeria in the supply of essential medicines to ECOWAS countries and beyond,” she said.

She, however, added that the laboratories would be revived to monitor drug production and quality.

Meanwhile, the President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), Ahmed Yakasai had led a committee comprising the National Executive Committee (NEC) members, Chairmen of Technical and Interest group and other stakeholders on a courtesy to the DG in Lagos, emphasising on the need to accelerate the passage of the revised fake and substandard drugs bill Act at the National Assembly.

He said it was necessary to address the challenges posed by fake or substandard drugs in the country, which has affected the economy.

Yakasai said there was need for more collaboration with National and international organisations to fight against substandard and falsified products, adding that NAFDAC should engage the Global Funds to utilise available funds for quality assurance and quality control to build the agency.

The committee, however, called for improved survey on quality selected drugs to generate reliable data, which is necessary for informed decisions and at the same time heighten post registration surveillance to prevent distribution and sale of substandard and falsified products.

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