– The move represent a significant step towards strengthening Nigeria’s health system and protecting patients from risks associated with unsafe or substandard blood and blood products – Prof. Adeyeye
– The initiative would also help strengthen public confidence in Nigeria’s healthcare system,” – DG
By Biola Lawal
Abuja (FLOWERBUDNEWS): The Director General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye has announced measures to strengthen the Agency’s regulatory oversight of blood and blood products in Nigeria
Prof. Adeyeye, who disclosed the development in a public statement she personally endorsed, said that the measures were part of NAFDAC efforts to protect patients and ensure the availability of safe, quality-assured and affordable blood.
The NAFDAC Boss said that the move represented a significant step towards strengthening Nigeria’s health system and protecting patients from risks associated with unsafe or substandard blood and blood products.
She said that the initiative had received the support of the Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Ali Pate, and was in line with global best practices and the recommendation of the World Health Organization (WHO) that blood and blood products be regulated by National Regulatory Authorities (NRAs) for medicines.
Prof. Adeyeye, said that ”blood and blood products are classified as essential medicines and must be consistently available with assured quality, safety and affordability.”
The NAFDAC DG said that the regulation of blood and blood products was ”critical to ensuring that patients receive safe and effective transfusion services while strengthening the overall quality and resilience of Nigeria’s healthcare system.”
She stressed that stronger regulatory oversight would cover the entire blood transfusion chain, including donor assessment, blood collection, testing, processing, storage, transportation and use.
The NAFDAC Boss also stated that several African countries, including Egypt, Ghana, South Africa, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Senegal and Rwanda, had already established regulatory oversight of blood and blood products through their respective national regulatory authorities.
“This renewed regulatory preparedness was part of our broader transformation into a modern, science-based regulatory authority,” She said..
Prof. Adeyeye noted that NAFDAC had attained WHO Maturity Level 3, successfully completed the WHO Global Benchmarking Maturity Level 3 reassessment and obtained WHO prequalification for its drug laboratory.
She declared that the agency had established internationally accredited laboratory and quality management systems, which is a strong foundation for the effective regulation of blood and blood products.
Prof. Adeyeye said that NAFDAC had established a dedicated Vaccines, Biologicals and Medical Devices Registration and Regulation Directorate to oversee the registration and regulation of relevant products.
She explained that though the Agency’s Vaccines, Biologicals and Medical Devices Laboratory Services, which was established several years ago, it became a directorate in 2024 and is responsible for quality control activities, including laboratory testing and lot release, while the Directorate of Evaluation and Research provides oversight of Good Manufacturing Practices.
Prof. Adeyeye also announced that an ultra-modern laboratory facility was being developed to further strengthen the Agency’s capacity for the assessment and quality control of vaccines and biological products.
She said that effective regulation of blood and blood products would require sustained collaboration among government institutions, healthcare providers, blood establishments, development partners and other stakeholders.
The Director General assured that NAFDAC would continue to work with relevant authorities and stakeholders to establish a robust regulatory framework that would promote the availability of safe, quality-assured and efficacious blood and blood products.
“The initiative would also help strengthen public confidence in Nigeria’s healthcare system,” She said.(FLOWERBUDNEWS)