Flowerbud News

Author: Lawal Abdullahi-Jubril

  • NAFDAC to prosecute health workers promoting breastmilk substitutes

    By Philip Yatai
    Kaduna, Sept. 24, 2020 (NAN) The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) says it will prosecute any health worker caught promoting Breast Milk Substitute (BMS) and other infant formula in health centres.

    Mr Nantim Mullah, Deputy Director, NAFDAC, Kaduna Zonal Office, gave the warning in Kaduna on Thursday, at a one-day sensitisation meeting on the International Code of BMS and National Regulations on infant formula.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the sensitisation was organised by SCI in partnership with the Kaduna State Ministry of Health and NAFDAC, for health workers from Kaduna South Senatorial Zone.

    Mullah explained that the International Code for Marketing of BMS, World Health Assembly Resolutions and National Regulations frowns at advertisement of BMS in health facilities.

    “The Code and the IYCF marketing regulations directed manufacturers and markers of BMS not to provide free products or samples of BMS to families, through health workers or health facilities.

    “They also warned against donation, acceptance or distribution of equipment or services to health facilities, gifts or incentives to health care staff as well as use of health facilities to host events, contests, or marketing.

    “The MBS Code equally warned against creating awareness directly or indirectly to parents and caregivers, on infant formula in health facilities by BMS manufacturing companies,” he said.

    He explained that the Code and the National Regulations were designed to end inappropriate promotion of BMS and other infants’ formula.

    He, however, said that in spite of the provisions, health facilities in Kaduna state had continued to allow promoters of BMS products to sell in the their premises.

    According to him, any health worker that contravenes any provision of the Code and Regulations will be charged under the relevant regulations of NAFDAC pertaining to food and food products.

    “This is because inappropriate Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF) practices contribute to the high child morbidity and mortality being recorded in the country.

    The BMS Code must, thus, be implemented in its entirety to protect, promote and support optimal IYCF for child survival, health, growth and development.

    “The Code will be fully enforced with appropriate sanctions for violators as ignorance of the law is not an excuse for its violation.”

    Mr Isah Ibrahim, SCI Nutrition Advocacy Advisor, said that similar sensitisation was held for health workers in Kaduna North and Kaduna Central Senatorial Zones to create the needed awareness against promoting BMS.

    Ibrahim urged the health workers to promote optimal exclusive breastfeeding which provides infants with all the nutrients required for healthy growth and development. (NAN)

  • NAFDAC to phase out production of alcohol in sachets 2023/2024

    By Aderogba George

    Abuja: The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) says it will totally ban production of alcohol drink in sachets by 2023/2024.

    Its Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday that banning of the product would come in phases.

    Adeyeye said that alcohol drink in sachet would be phased out by 2023 ending or first week of 2024, when it would no longer exist in the society.

    NAN reports that Adeyeye, had earlier expressed worry over the sale and consumption of alcoholic beverages in sachets and small volume glass and Poly-Ethylene Terephthalate (PET) bottles.

    She also decried the negative effects of irresponsible alcohol consumption on public health and on the safety and the security of the public.

    Adeyeye said with the support of the Federal Ministry of Health, the concern also relates to the fact that alcohol “is also a toxic and psychoactive substance with dependence producing properties.

    According to her, uncontrolled access and availability of high concentration alcohol in sachet and small volume PET or glass bottles have been put forward as a factor contributing to substance and alcohol abuse in Nigeria with its negative impact on the society.

    She said the World Health Organisation (WHO) reports that alcohol consumption contributes to three million deaths each year globally as well as to the disabilities and poor health of millions of people.

    Adeyeye said that stakeholders had already met on this to outline the negative impact of the product on the society, particularly on youths.

    “NAFDAC and the Federal Ministry of Heath met on this issue with the distillers association, a couple of days ago.

    “We let them know that they can think of business because there is nothing wrong about that.

    “NAFDAC and Federal Ministry of Heath also have to think about the society, we had series of meetings at the ministry.

    “We all agreed that we are going to carry out the ban in phases,” she said.

    The director-general also said that, pending the time lapse, the distillers association were told to reduce the level of alcohol drink in sachets, and that they have agreed to do that.

    Adeyeye said the distillers association had also been tasked to run a social responsibility campaign against underage drinking, adding that a jingle would soon be on air in this regards.

    She, however, called on Nigerians to always do things that would depict the moral values enshrined in the nation’s system. (NAN)

  • NAFDAC vows to prosecute impersonators, says agency no longer uses consultants

    By Aderogba George
    Abuja: The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) says it no longer uses consultants in dealing with the public, vowing to prosecute impersonators.
    The agency also urged its prospective customers and Nigerians to be cautious of those who may want to act as the agency’s  consultants, warning impostors to desist from such acts or face the wrath of the law.
    Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, the NAFDAC Director General, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in an interview on Tuesday that information about people who posed as the agency’s consultants had reached her.
    Adeyeye said that if at all the agency had  done that in the past years, it no longer
    engaged the services of consultants to carry out its functions.
    She explained that “there are still people posing as consultants for NAFDAC. Before I joined the agency, maybe few weeks before my resumption in late 2017, there were complaints by customers on consultants and I  put them as citizens reports.
    “What stood out among the complaints was the issue of consultants in NAFDAC, I didn’t understand what that meant much until I got down to business, and upon enquiry, they told me that NAFDAC consultants created problems of moving business ahead.
    “They told me there had been a lot of compromise for people seeking help to process their applications, and in early 2018, I cancelled the issue of consultancy.
    “However, there are people still posing as NAFDAC consultants as I speak now,  but they are not  agency staff.
    “I was told that they register a Sim card and attach the name to NAFDAC consultants, they are impersonating our staff and charge people exorbitant fees for registration, our fee for registration is quite low.”
    She, therefore, advised Nigerians not to use consultants for any of their dealings with NAFDAC, adding that most of the agency’s information were online.
    Adeyeye said that the agency was ready to go after those impostors, provided there were concrete evidence to pursue the matter and pleaded with Nigerians to always keep documentary records in this regard.
    The director general said that the agency would not hesitate to punish any of its staff involved in illegal acts. (NAN)

  • NAFDAC launches pharmaceutical traceability strategy to curb drug falsification

    By Aderogba George
    Abuja: The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) says it has launched a pharmaceutical traceability strategy document to fight the menace of Substandard and Falsified (SF) medical products.
    The information is in a statement signed by the agency’s Director General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, issued to newsmen in Abuja.
    She stated that the launch of the document was to prevent the loss and diversion, as well as improve NAFDAC’s regulatory control of medicine supply chain in the country.
    She noted that “the mission of NAFDAF is a daunting task in the face of the chaotic drug distribution system currently existing in Nigeria. The pharmaceutical traceability strategy document presents NAFDAC’s priority objectives that will guide the development of a comprehensive operational plan.
    “It will also contribute to strengthening the existing regulatory and legal framework required to publish and enforce a traceability regulation and related guideline.
    “The launch of this strategy document is the first step in positioning Nigeria as leader in driving traceability of pharmaceutical products in Africa.”
    Adeyeye reiterated NAFDAC’s commitment to the implementation of the tracking mechanism as part of the regulatory device to strengthening and underscoring its mandate.
    She said that the agency had developed a five-year traceability plan toward achieving supply chain visibility, noting that this would strengthen its pharmacovigilance and post marketing activities.
    She added that the five-year plan was aimed at checking the scourge of Substandard and Falsified medicines and medical devices by the end of the year 2024.
    The NAFDAC boss said that the agency also established a traceability office (traceability desk) and a technical working group to drive the activities in the five years.
    According to her, the objectives are to increase patient safety through mitigating the risk of entry of Substandard and Falsified medicines into the legitimate supply chain,
    prevent loss due to diversion of medical products, thus preserving resources for needed medical intervention.
    Others are to provide data-driven visibility of health commodities in national supply chains and stronger interoperability with global supply chain; improve reliable access to essential health commodities through supply chain efficiencies and stock availability.
    It will also promote trust in the public and private pharmaceutical sectors and healthcare systems through supply chain security.
    She said that the agency was aware of the spike in falsified medicines many countries face as a result of COVID-19-related supply chain distruptions, adding that there was need to act fast as the distribution of COVID-19 vaccine may likely be in short supply.
    She noted that the emergence of falsified versions of the COVID-19 vaccine would do irreparable harm to the already challenging task of vaccine literacy and acceptance.
    “COVID-19 commodities and essential medicines for diseases such as HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria, traceability technology will be used to create “learn traceability”.
    This according to her, it is a solution that will help regulatory agencies, donors and institutions to work together.
    She added that it would help to prevent diversion from the distribution chain. (NAN)

  • NAFDAC, a customer-focused agency, says DG

    By Mufutau Ojo

    Abuja: Prof. Moji Adeyeye, the Director-General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), says the regulatory body is now a customer-focused institution.

    Adeyeye told newsmen in Abuja on Monday that NAFDAC had over the years reviewed its structures and processes to meet the expectations of its numerous customers.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that NAFDAC was officially established in October 1992 to promptly address the challenges of rising incidence of counterfeit and substandard drugs, as well as unwholesome food and other products.

    NAN also reports that the mandate of the agency include safeguarding public health by ensuring that only quality drugs, food and other regulated products are manufactured, imported, exported, advertised, distributed, sold and used in Nigeria.

    To execute its mandate, Adeyeye said the agency had digitalised its operations, especially its registration processes, in order to ensure service delivery.

    “The agency is now customer-focused and agency-minded which means our customers or clients are better served while still maintaining our core values and carrying out our mandates effectively.

    “Most of our processes are now digitalised including the registration process.

    “The agency has now been certified as ISO 9001:2015 quality management system or establishment and is in the process of being listed as a WHO Listed Authority using the Global Bench Marking Tool (GBT)” she said.

    She, however, said some challenges were impacting negatively on the operations of the agency.

    The challenges, she said, include lack of vehicles, shortage of staff, poor remuneration, inadequate working tools such as computers and accessories as well as inadequate laboratory equipment.

    The director general also cited the nation’s porous borders through which some products were being smuggled in as some of the challenges being faced by NAFDAC. (NAN)

  • NAFDAC evolves programmes to support small businesses

    By Mufutau Ojo

    Abuja: Prof. Moji Adeyeye, the Director-General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) says the regulatory body has evolved various policies and programmes to support small businesses.

    Adeyeye, who spoke with newsmen in Abuja on Monday, said the agency recognised the critical roles Small and Medium Enterprises played
    in the economy and deserved to be encouraged.

    She said one of the policies put in place to encourage small businesses was decentralisation of registration process to make it less cumbersome.

    She noted that “prior to 2018, all registration exercises were done in Lagos. However, having recognised the importance of micro enterprises, the agency decentralised registration of products and it is now done on zonal basis, including the FCT office.

    “Also, the number of products being registered on zonal basis has been increased from 11 to over 80 different products.

    “Guidelines and documentation requirements have been streamlined to make it easier for micro and small industries to register their products

    “Companies manufacturing similar products can use one facility, that is shared facility to reduce cost of setting up factory, while timeline for registration of products has been reduced to between 60 and 90 working days.

    “The facility requirement has also been reduced from four rooms to one standard room and a store.”

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that NAFDAC was officially established in October 1992 to promptly address the challenges of rising incidence of counterfeit and substandard drugs as well as unwholesome food and other products.

    NAN also reports that the mandate of the agency include safeguarding public health by ensuring that only the right quality drugs, food and other regulated products are manufactured, imported, exported, advertised, distributed, sold and used in Nigeria.

    Adeyeye recalled that NAFDAC in 2020 gave palliatives to micro enterprises in order to cushion effect of the COVID-19 pandemic

    She said the agency reduced the cost of registration by 80 per cent for small businesses while there was free registration
    for the first 200 companies that submitted application.

    The director general also said the agency waived payment of late renewal fees for three months for companies that had expired licences.

    Speaking on other initiatives to boost service delivery, Adeyeye said NAFDAC was working on becoming a WHO Listed Authority.

    “The WHO uses Global Benchmarking Tools to assess the agency and there are four Maturity Levels.

    “Currently, we are aspiring to get to Level 3 which will permit our country to manufacture vaccines because as an agency we have to do Lot release which is a requirement for vaccine production.

    “This will also improve trade because our products can compete favourably with products from advanced countries with stringent regulatory authorities.

    “Pharmacovigilance which is the science of detecting, assessing and documenting adverse events has been strengthened.

    “The agency recently launched the MEDSAFETY App for reporting adverse drug reactions.

    “For example, as the COVID-19 vaccine is being administered on people and if there are reactions, no matter how little, they report it through the App which comes to the database.

    “It eventually goes to the Upsalla Monitoring Centre in Geneva where adverse reactions are domiciled internationally. Reactions to other drugs are also reported through the App,” she said. (NAN)

  • NAFDAC impounds vehicle loaded with unwholesome medicine, vaccines in Asaba

    By Aderogba George
    Abuja: The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) says it has impounded a Mercedes Truck laden with banned and unregistered medicinal products in Asaba, Delta.
    A statement signed by NAFDAC Resident Media Consultant, Mr Olusayo Akintola, said that the agency’s Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, made the disclosure in Abuja on Wednesday.
    The statement quoted Adeyeye as saying that the agency had resolved to ensure that only wholesome medicinal products and other regulated products were available in the markets for public use and consumption.
    The director-general said that a Mercedes truck suspected to be carrying substandard and falsified medicinal products was intercepted along Asaba –Benin road by officers of the agency’s Investigation and Enforcement Directorate, following an intelligence report.
    According to her, after thorough screening, the truck was found to contain, among other products, improperly stored Tetanus Diphtheria vaccine, and various unregistered, banned and controlled medicinal products.
    She said that part of the drugs includes Analgin Injection, CSP with Codeine cough syrup, Mepacrine HCL Tablets, Diethylcarbamazine Citrate Tablets, Dano Tetanus Vaccine, Artestunate Injection, and many others.
    Adeyeye explained that the products were evacuated, inventory were taken while the suspects with cartons containing the products made police statements and were released on administrative bail.
    According to the NAFDAC boss, further investigations revealed that the truck was conveying medicinal products purchased from Ogbo-Ogwu Bridge Head market in Onitsha, Anambra, for supply to retailers in Warri, Delta.
    “The retailer outlets who are mostly in Warri are Pendrix Pharmacy, Samtex Pharmacy, Onos Pharmacy, Chima Patent Medicine Store, Imoson Patent Medicine Store,  Sam-C Patent Medicine Store, Sunshine Patent Medicine Store and Hyunus Patent Medicine Store respectively.
    “Others are Chuks Patent Medicine Store, Solomon Patent Medicine Store, Friday Patent Medicine Store, Madam Faithmax Patent Medicine Store, Omas Pharmacy, Evans Patent Medicine Store, Chiyere Patent Medicine Store
    and Philo Patent Medicine Store, Bridge Head Market, Onitsha,” she said.
    Adeyeye, however, warned medicine merchants to always have the general wellbeing of Nigerians at heart over and above any other pecuniary consideration, stressing that there is no longer a hiding place for them.
    She also cautioned them to stop the circulation of illicit business and dangerous medicinal products capable of compromising the health of the Nigerians. (NAN)

  • NAFDAC partners Global alliance to enhance ease of doing business

    By Aderogba George
    Abuja: The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) says it has commenced partnership with Global Alliance for Trade Facilitation (GATF) to put together strategies for export and import trade in Nigeria.
    A statement signed by NAFDAC resident media consultant, Mr Olusayo Akintola, and issued to newsmen on Sunday stated that the procedures was to ensure ease of doing business in Nigeria.
    The statement noted that the partnership was also aimed at achieving standardisation, harmonisation of documents and simplified trade formalities for importers and exporters.
    It said that NAFDAC Director General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, reached the agreement at a virtual meeting with GATF Nigeria top officials led by its Project Lead, Mr Bernard Traynor.
    The statement added that the partnership project is being powered by GATF, an organisation that was being hosted by Centre for International Private Enterprise, International Chambers of Commerce, and the World Economic Forum.
    “The project in Nigeria is being implemented by the German Technical Cooperation popularly known as GIZ. The alliance is supported by the governments of US, Canada, Germany, Denmark and government of Australia through their respective agencies.”
    The statement quoted Adeyeye, who was represented at the meeting by Dr Abimbola Adegboye, Head of Trade and International Relations at the agency, listing measures that NAFDAC had already put in place for both import and export trade.
    Adeyeye reiterated that NAFDAC had already put in place measures to ensure that there is a seamless and more robust operational procedure with both export and import at the borders.
    She said that part of the measures was to achieve cooperation among government agencies at the borders, adding that NAFDACs focus now was to ensure smooth trade facilitation and regulation.
    According to her, operations of regulators should not pose an hinderance to trade transactions but facilitate them.
    She said that the agency was making sure that there are not so many interferences between the users of the agency facilities and the agency.
    “So, we try as much as possible to remove both human interferences under the guise of consultants, because more or less they do not facilitate trade, they tend to distort it.
    “Trade should be on basis of safety and quality, that is the only way trade could be sustained; If quality is not put into your product, It gives the country a bad name, they blacklist the company involved.
    “The consumers are the losers because they do not have value for money and their health is compromised,” she stressed.
    She stated that these are the issues that the global alliance would be addressing, adding that what would make all these visible and possible was to ensure that operations at the borders are seamless.
    According to her, If you have perishable items that are to be exported or that are to be allowed into the country and they are delayed unnecessarily or held based on premium conditions, such products could go bad, and the integrity of such product would be compromised.
    She said that anything that would make trade operations very easy both for inflow and outflow, and would make the whole process of regulation friendly and not cumbersome for importers and exporters, is what the agency aimed for.
    The statement also quoted the Project Manager of GATF, Nigeria, Mr David Okeku, explaining that being an alliance, his organisation had critical private sector partners, and series of projects currently being implemented in Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Zambia, Senegal, Uganda and Latin America, Asia and middle East countries’.
    ‘’How we work in the alliance is that we partner with multinationals, local businesses because we believe strongly that they will bring in their expertise and also best practices; and also bring in supply-chain companies.
    “We use them as our ambassadors globally and in-country. Local businesses also contribute in form of expertise and resources in kind towards the alliance”, the statement added.(NAN)