NAFDAC builds capacity of patent medicines dealers on identification of substandard, unregistered medicines
The National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has built capacity of patent and proprietary medicines dealers on identification, avoidance and reporting suspicious substandard and unregistered medicine and medicine-related products.
The Director, South-East Zone of NAFDAC, Dr Festus Ukadike, said that the capacity building was part of the agency’s Stakeholders’ Sensitisation for members of National Association of Patent and Proprietary Medicines Dealers (NAPPMEDS).
Ukadike said that NAFDAC would continue to work tirelessly to ensure that only safe efficacious and good quality healthcare products are made available to the patients.
According to him, patent and proprietary medicines dealers are very crucial as they are first point of contact for many Nigerians, especially vast population of our people living in rural areas, seeking medical products.
“As you may know, in medicine regulation, our Agency stands head and shoulders above other National Regulatory Agencies in Africa having attained and sustained WHO maturity level 3rating, following a re-benchmarking exercise that was concluded this year.
“However, there is still a lot more work to be done.
“The pharma industry is a vital part of our economy, and it is essential that we work together to ensure that the products being sold to consumers are safe and of high quality,” he said.
Ukadike stressed that patent and proprietary medicines dealers should stick to due process and stocking only registered and regulated medicine products.
“In all, you must aim at service and providing quality medicines and medicine-related products to Nigeria first. Monetary gains and unethical advantages should never be place first,” he added.
Speaking, Chairman of NAPPMED Section-A Ogbete Main Market, Enugu, Chief Oliver Ezemba, lauded NAFDAC for the sensitisation and the capacity it had built among NAPPMED members.
“We will continue to call for more engagements and workshops to build our knowledge and capacity to serve Nigerians with the best quality of medicines and medicine-related products.
“As an association, we will stand with NAFDAC to ensure that Nigerians are healthier and they get value for money for any purchased medicine and medicine-related products,” Ezemba said.
Corroborating, the Chairman of NAPPMED Section-B Ogbete Main Market, Enugu, Mr Chuks Osuji, assured that his association would ensure zero tolerance to fake, substandard and unregistered medicines and medicine-related products.
“We will continue to partner with NAFDAC and ensure that our members continue to abide by the agency’s guidelines and regulations,” he said.
The capacity building sensitisation featured presentations on: “Overview of Post-Market Surveillance; Good Medicine Storage and Distribution Practice and NAFDAC e-Registration Process (NAPAMS).
