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Sunday, January 8, 2012

ATTITUDINAL RE-ORIENTATION AND NAFDAC OPERATION

BY Martins Ikhilae

The success of any crusade is dependent on the degree of acceptance and support it enjoys from its target audience. Indisputably, the quest for an effective and efficient health care is the desire of every individual irrespective of national or societal status. In developed countries, emphasis is placed on the provision of a reliable health care sector. The reason for this is simply because, without Health, wealth creation and sustenance is absolutely unachievable. In Nigeria, for instance, the crusade to improve citizens access to effective health care is being driven by the National Agency For Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC). The approach with which this agency’s health crusade is being pursued is indicative of its seriousness to discharge its statutory responsibilities.
It is clear that NAFDAC has initiated different efforts at stamping out disastrous health practices. However, adequate cooperation and support on the part of the entire Nigerian populace is required to make the agency’s efforts successful. Its determination to identify counterfeited and substandard pharmaceuticals and unwholesome processed foods is indeed a very worthy engagement in view of the havoc these substances have unleashed on the unsuspecting public. It has also made available, sophisticated devices for easily spotting fake regulated products as well as exposing dealers in this condemnable trade. Just recently, a high powered Federal Task Force on fake and counterfeit drugs and unwholesome processed products was set up to compliment state task forces saddled with similar responsibility. The taskforces comprise members of the Pharmacist Council of Nigeria, the Consumer Protection Council, the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigeria Custom Service and NAFDAC. Having recognized the fact that domestic efforts are insufficient to check these drug counterfeiters, NAFDAC sought assistance of the World Health Organization to garner the desired international support. In response, the WHO, established an ‘International Medical Products Anti-Counterfeit Task Force’ with the Director-General of NAFDAC, Dr Paul Orhii as Vice-Chairman.
Undoubtedly, the agency’s international network has yielded dividends as exemplified by the recent interception of a consignment of counterfeited anti-malaria drugs worth millions of naira at a Lagos port. Its shippers were apprehended in China by the international police (INTERPOL) and the United States Federal Drug Agency in collaboration with the Indian and Chinese High Commissions. Just recently, another collaborative team comprising operatives of the Nigeria Police Force, NAFDAC, Pharmacist Council of Nigeria as well as the Consumer Protection Council commenced unscheduled inspection of corporate pharmacies in Ikoyi and Victoria Island areas of Lagos State in an operation code named “operation Cobra”. INTERPOL had prior to the commencement of the exercise, organized a two day workshop on capacity building and training for these operatives to adequately prepare them for the operation. The exercise was a joint operation between INTERPOL and seven west African countries including Nigeria at the instance of the World Health Organization’s and INTERPOL. The operation led to the arrest of over 30 suspected fake regulated products merchants. Also inspected were large pharmacies, wholesale outlets as well as warehouses where the agency’s innovative technology, the TRUSCAN machines were deployed in the verification of their wares.
Besides these, NAFDAC is working on a rapid alert technique between Nigeria and collaborating countries to efficiently create a formidable network towards combating the trade in substandard regulated products. As NAFDAC continues its crusade towards sanitizing the nation’s drug distribution system, fake drug merchants and economic saboteurs are warned to desist from molesting the agency’s operatives as well as engaging in the destruction of its facilities.

Source: FRCN daily commentary

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