NAFDAC vows to curb narcotics diversion, tighten control to ensure medical access

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has reiterated its commitment to ensure availability of narcotics and controlled substances for medical and scientific purposes while preventing diversion to illicit use.

This comes amid concerns raised by Provost of the Medical School, University of Lagos, Prof. David Adewale Anthonio Oke, about the addiction to drugs by some medical professionals, particularly surgeons and others involved in administering pain medication after surgery.

Director-General of NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, who was represented by Director, Laboratory Services (Food), Dr Charles Nwachukwu, during the launch of the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) yearly report, acknowledged the role of narcotic drugs in pain management and other medical conditions.

Adeyeye emphasised the necessity of balancing access with control due to their addictive potential, stressing that competent national authorities must intensify their activities and monitor online advertisements and sales of controlled substances to outpace traffickers.

The NAFDAC director-general reiterated some of the measures already put in place by the agency to ensure availability and prevent diversion of controlled medicines to illegal use.

She, however, acknowledged the collaborative efforts and cooperation of agencies like the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), NDLEA and police that have all been of tremendous help to the agency.

Meanwhile, a professor of Psychiatry at the College of Medicine, Prof. Olatunji Aina, emphasised the importance of controlling the medications, highlighting the prevalence of addiction among medical professionals who have regular access to the drugs.

Aina stressed the need for collaboration between NAFDAC and National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) to address the growing public health concern while also underscoring the role narcotics play in managing severe pain for conditions like sickle cell disease, fractures and cancer.