NAFDAC seeks cooperation to stop circulation, use of fake drugs

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has called on health professionals and all Nigerians to work and collaborate with the agency to combat the menace of substandard and fake drugs and products in the country.

The agency lamented that producers of counterfeit and substandard drugs are in the illicit trade because of patronage by members of the public, especially through distributors.

The Southwest Director of the agency, Mrs. Roseline Ajayi, made the call during a sensitisation programme on substandard and falsified products held at Ibadan Business School, Bodija, Ibadan Oyo State capital, for health professionals and practitioners.

The event was themed: “Grassroots Community Sensitisation and Public Awareness of Substard and Falsified Medical Products”.

The programme was meant to educate health practitioners and healthcare providers on fake drugs and product identification.

According to Ajayi, the agency has conducted a survey across Nigeria under the leadership of Prof. Moji Adeyeye on the level of prevalence of substandard and falsified products and the concern of the agency has been how to reduce the rates, because if it is not addressed, it will negatively affect members of the public and this would compromise the agency’s mandate.

The zonal director also pointed out that health professionals and healthcare providers also have a role to play in combating the issue of substandard and falsified products, especially in distribution.

She also warned members of the public to do their due diligence when buying any drug by checking for certain parameters that could ascertain the quality of the products such as checking for manufacturer name, manufacturing date, and expiry date and using a medical safety app to report any case of drug adverse effects.

“That is the core mandate of NAFDAC and the regulated products are food, drugs, cosmetics, medical devices, detergents, chemicals and water. But our concern today has to do with drugs.

“So, this is just the first phase and we have brought in many of the pharmacists that are involved in the distribution of medicines to enlighten them on what to look out for, what is the concern of NAFDAC and to share what is their own concern too and how we can bring this incidence to the barest minimum.

“In the days to come, we will also go around to churches, mosques, and communities to also sensitise them and one of the things we projected here is how to identify that a product has been falsified or that a product is substandard.”

Ajayi highlighted the steps taken by the agency in using technology to combat substandard and falsified drug menace.

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She said: “NAFDAC has deployed technology a lot. One of them is the global numbering system. Another one is TruScan. TruScan is a handheld device that we use when we visit pharmacy shops. When we visit drug distribution centers, we can verify whether the drugs they are selling are authentic or not.”

Also speaking, the Chairman, Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria, Mr. Gbadamosi Adebayo urged Nigerians to cultivate the habit of checking the NAFDAC website, drug registration numbers, expiration dates, and correct spelling of the drugs and patronize licensed sources and centres.

Presenting research on the negative effect of consumers’ exposure to substandard and falsified medications in the country, a pharmacist, Mrs. Sayo Akinrinade charged Nigerians not to patronise unauthorized sellers to avoid damaging their body’s sensitive organs.