Flowerbud News

Author: Ibrahim Abusadiq

  • NAFDAC to sensitise broadcast media organisations against illegal drug adverts

    By Stella Kabruk

    The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC)
    says it is set to embark on sensitisation to broadcast media organisations on illegal drug advertisement.

    The agency’s Coordinator in Kaduna State, Nasiru Mato, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in
    Kaduna that “there are illegal advertisements about drugs both on radio and television which needed to be
    addressed to protect the health of the citizenry.

    “We want to embark on sensitisation to broadcast media organisations for them to stop collecting illegal advertisement.

    “The electronic media should clarify the genuineness of adverts from the agency before advertising it.

    “It is not just about the money gotten through the advertisement of the products, but safeguarding public
    health by checking the genuineness of products.”

    Mato said that the agency would also sensitise Kaduna residents on door to door advertisement.

    According to him, NAFDAC has stipulated guidelines and requirements for issuance of advert permit.

    “Manufacturers of NAFDAC regulated products must ensure that they follow due process to secure advert permit.

    “The content of the advert is scrutinised and vetted before authorisation is given.

    “Any unapproved advertisement is viewed as illegal, and such violation will attract serious sanctions.”

    The NAFDAC coordinator said illegal advertisements were dangerous and totally unacceptable.

    He added that “the agency will not tolerate any misleading advert or claims either on product label or otherwise.

    “All adverts must be verified and confirmed before broadcasting within the ambit of the law.”

    He listed some of the punitive actions against any advert violations to include but not limited to arrest, administrative penalty and seizures.

    He added that NAFDAC in Kaduna would not relent in the discharge of its duty of safeguarding public health by stepping up
    surveillance and monitoring activities in every nook and cranny of the state.

    NAN

  • World Food Safety Day: NAFDAC advises Nigerians on healthy foods

    By Aderogba George

    The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has advised Nigerians to ensure that only safe and wholesome food are consumed by them for healthy living.
    NAFDAC Director-General Prof.Mojisola Adeyeye, gave the advice on Tuesday in Abuja to commemorate the 2022 World Food Safety Day with the theme ‘Safer Food, Better Health’.
    A statement by the Agency’s Media Consultant, Mr Olusayo Akintola, reported the Director General as urging Nigerians to always consume only safe, and wholesome food, to enhance boosting of the immunity and improving the body’s natural defenses in fighting diseases.
    The D-G further stated that Nigerians didn’t need medicines if they ate right, and that eating right means making healthy food choices from safe, wholesome, and nutritious foods.
    According to her, where food is unsafe, our nutritional goals cannot be achieved and that safety of food is an essential component of sustainable development.
    She said that safe food contributed to the improvement of public health, poverty reduction, and increased food security.
    She noted that the theme for the 2022 World food safety day was apt as the world gradually returned to normal with the COVID-19 pandemic having lost its firm grip on the world.
    Adeyeye pointed out that the theme also aligned with the 75th World Health Assembly theme, which is Health for Peace and Peace for Health.
    According to her, safer food indeed takes the front and centre position for better health and relative personal and world peace and that if one eats right, such person would not need medicine.
    She disclosed that eating right meant making healthy food choices from safe, wholesome, and nutritious foods.
    According to Adeyeye, the occasion of World Food Safety Day is an added opportunity for the Agency to create and generate awareness around food safety and make it as a significant issue of public health concern.
    The D-G added that the 2022 World food safety day was relevant to us here in Nigeria as the large proportion of the foods we consume are produced by micro- and small-scale producers.
    According to her, the small-scale producers include the smallholder farmers, street food vendors, the traditional, open food markets, and that these were important players of the country’s national food supply.
    Adeyeye noted that their activities were of concern as regards food safety practices, adding that lack of it could undermine the country standard.
    She said that the foods were frequently exposed to less than hygienic and sanitary conditions, which resulted in contamination and brings about incidences and outbreaks of foodborne diseases.
    The NAFDAC boss disclosed that unsafe foods caused many diseases and also contributed to other poor health conditions such as impaired growth and development.
    ‘’We know that food safety is a shared responsibility, and everyone has a role to play in ensuring we have safer food for better health – from growers to processors, to transporters, sellers, buyers, and those who prepared or served food.
    “Policy makers, educational institutions and workplaces, as well as consumers were not left out; food safety is the responsibility of all. We must all work together to help achieve safer food for better health’’.
    “Our call to action on this occasion of World Food Safety Day goes to four groups of stakeholders namely policy makers and food regulators, food businesses, educational institutions and workplaces as well as the consumers.
    She urged policy makers and food regulators to design all public procurement of food, such as food aid, school feeding and other publicly owned food outlets, so that consumers could access safe and healthy foods.
    Adeyeye added that they should support policy measures and legal frameworks to strengthen the national food safety system and ensure it complied with food safety standards and regulations.
    She also urged them to encourage and engage in multisectoral collaboration at the local, national, regional, and global levels.
    Adeyeye said food businesses should also engage employees, suppliers, and other stakeholders to grow and develop a food safety culture; and comply with international and national food standards.
    NAN
  • NAFDAC sensitises NYSC members on E-registration of products

    NAFDAC sensitises NYSC members on E-registration of products

    By Stella Kabruk

    The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC)
    has embarked on sensitisation of youth corps members on  product registration requirements.

    The state Coordinator of the agency, Mr Nasiru Mato, said this on Friday during the orientation lecture session
    on product registration and standards regulations organised by the NYSC Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship
    Development (SAED) in Kaduna State.

    Mato said the new digitised innovation referred to as NAFDAC Automated Product Administration and Monitoring System (NAPAMS) is seemless, technology-driven, real-time enabled application for products registration online.

    According to him, the process is unique, interactive, and has transparent features which allow clients to be involved at
    every stage all the way from start to finish.

    He added that “with NAPAMS, all the necessary prerequisite documents are submitted and vetted online, and clients can freely monitor the status of the application so submitted anytime as long as internet connectivity is available.

    “To this end, intending manufacturers of regulated products with low risk under MSMEs can register their products via NAPAMS.

    “The decentralisation of registration process which means the products can be approved and registered at the zonal levels also opens a great window of opportunity for registration within stipulated timeline.

    “Product registration with NAFDAC has multiple advantages which include marketing authorisation, consumer confidence, quality, safety, efficacy and competitiveness.

    “The tool also serves as data base for registered NAFDAC regulated products for enhanced and easy retrieval of information.”

    He listed other gains of the product registration with NAFDAC as backward integration, business development, self-reliance
    and economic growth, “which is now just a *click* away with the deployment of NAPAMS.’’

    Mato commended the Director-General of NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, “for her untiring efforts to make the agency
    a model, as well as top notch regulatory agency.”

    The youth corps members also applauded NAFDAC for the enlightenment on the rudiments and workings of the new concept.

    NAN

  • NAFDAC shuts 10 water factories in Ondo

    NAFDAC shuts 10 water factories in Ondo

    By Segun Giwa

    The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has sealed 10 packaged water companies in Ondo State over non-compliance with the regulation and standards.

    The Ondo State Coordinator of NAFDAC, Mr Benu Philip, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Akure.

    Philip said the affected companies which spread across the state, had there premises sealed between January and June.

    He explained that all the affected companies were operating with expired licence and producing in an unhygienic environment.

    “In addition to locking the facilities, the companies will pay an administrative charge for late renewal of their registration licence and submit necessary documents for the renewal process,” he said

    Philip said the licence issued is not forever, adding that renewal periods should be sustained to avoid regulatory interruption.

    He advised Nigerians to always look out for the NAFDAC registration number on sachet and bottled water, batch information and date markings.

    “Our mandate, specifically, is to ensure, regulate and control the manufacturing of food, drugs, cosmetics, medical devices and chemicals, which we refer to as regulated products.

    “What we do in Ondo State majorly is to engage the stakeholders to keep them abreast of our mandate, to ensure that they follow the rules.

    “Most of the packaged water, popularly called “pure water”, that I know of in Ondo State since I came on board, have been operating with expired licence.

    “The licence is the marketing authorisation that enables you to sell your product in the market as verified and safe for consumption.

    “Once you have that number on your certificate, it shows that you have gone through the regulatory processes to ensure that you make safe products to the consuming public but it is not forever; it has a timeline,” he said.

    He said the agency will continue to collaborate with other agencies to ensure its set goals and targets were achieved.

    NAN

  • NAFDAC encourages Kwara MSMEs through cluster facilities, online registration

    By Mujidat Oyewole

    The National Agency for Food and  Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) says it encourages
    Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in Kwara through cluster facilities and online registration.

    The NAFDAC Coordinator in Kwara, Mr Kenneth Azikwe, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Ilorin that the agency
    also encourages more people to register online and manufacture dry foods that can be produced with low risk.

    He added that “we encourage cottage manufacturing and manufacturing from cluster facilities.

    “Cluster facility is a building that can accommodate two or more people to manufacture their products.

    “An example is the Technical Incubation Centre (TIC), Ilorin, where we register young people who want to go into production but
    do not have the wherewithal to get structure on ground.

    “They can rent a cluster facility and begin to produce simple products like plantain chips, chin chin and other dry finger foods,” he said.

    The coordinator further said that there were cluster facilities in some local government areas of Kwara which are not owned by Federal Government like the TIC.

    He said some of the facilities are owned by Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), adding that “NAFDAC still encourages them to get registered.”

    Azikwe added that the agency had developed a platform called NAFDAC Automated Product Administration and Monitoring System (NAPAMS).

    “It is a tailor-made portal for product registration and can be accessed easily by just checking into www.nafdac.gov.ng

    “Check the requirements needed for whatever you are applying for and register your manufacturing company through NAPAMS.

    “Introduce your company, then a username and password will be given, after which you will introduce your product, submit some essential things
    needed and then an inspection will be fixed for you,” he said.

    He, however, said that for those into high risk products, NAFDAC registration number would be issued at the headquarters in Lagos.

    Azikwe assured that routine sensitisation on the online registration for MSMEs and other activities would continue through educational activities
    from National Youth Service Corps members and the media.

    NAN

  • COVID-19 vaccines produced in Nigeria will meet international standards, NAFDAC DG assures

    COVID-19 vaccines produced in Nigeria will meet international standards, NAFDAC DG assures

    By Kemi Akintokun

    The Director-General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, has assured Nigerians that COVID-19 vaccines  produced in the country will be of international standard, with the strengthening of the agency.

    Adeyeye gave the assurance during the oversight visit of the House of Representatives Committee on COVID-19 to the NAFDAC facilities and COVID-19 laboratory projects in Lagos.

    According to a statement issued on Sunday by Sayo Akintola, NAFDAC Resident Media Consultant, Adeyeye described the Federal Government’s huge spending on the fight against COVID-19 as exemplified by the construction of the new COVID-19 laboratory, as a great achievement for the country.

    She said that the laboratory with equipped modern instruments and amenities at the agency was a wake-up call for the country.

    She noted with dismay that the health sector had been neglected before the present administration responded through the COVID-19 Committee of the National Assembly, ‘’particularly the members that are here today’’.

    She said: “To ensure that the health sector is strengthened, NAFDAC must be strengthened, if the regulatory agency is not strengthened, the industry will not be strengthened.

    “We have the African Free trade Agreement already here with us now for the nation’s pharmaceutical industry to take advantage of with quality products.

    “There will be a lot of competition and if NAFDAC’s laboratory is not strengthened, we will not be able to compete.

    ‘’For Vaccines, we are hoping that the vaccine facilities from the public- private partnership will soon happen but if the regulatory agency is not strong, we can make vaccine that will destroy our own people.”

    Adeyeye noted that with the agency now very strong with WHO Maturity Level 3 certification, “Nigeria can now make its own vaccines and we can  assure the populace that there is quality in whatever is being manufactured because of NAFDAC’s strength”.

    On the impact that COVID-19 fund had made, she said, “this should resonate well with the whole country that if you put the right people in the right places, then the vision of the government can be realised.

    ‘’Whatever approvals that are being given by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) on funding our activities, you can actually touch such and this is what has happened here today.”

    She commended the COVID-19 committee, and the Healthcare Services committee of the  Assembly for committing to ensuring that NAFDAC as a regulatory agency is  known internationally.

    Speaking, Chairman, House Committee on COVID-19, Haruna Mshelia, commended Adeyeye and her management team for leveraging latest technology to upgrade the agency.

    ‘’We have seen with our eyes how they have leveraged on latest technology to upgrade the organisation to a standard that is next to none in Africa. I think they need to be commended.

    “We have seen the warehouse. We have now seen the laboratory which is under construction. They have gone very far, and the standard of the construction is good.

    ‘’We have also seen the equipment awaiting to be installed in the laboratories. I have to say kudos to the DG and her team for getting good value for money as far as COVID-19 funds for NAFDAC is concerned.

    “Other agencies should come to NAFDAC and learn how they have leveraged ICT to move their organisation forward so that everywhere our standard can be uplifted with everyone seeing it,” Mshelia said.

    NAN

  • NAFDAC warns importers, exporters against sharp practices at ports

    NAFDAC warns importers, exporters against sharp practices at ports

    By Francis Onyeukwu

    The National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has advised importers and exporters in the Eastern Ports and Bonded Terminals to adhere to  the rules and regulations guiding ports’ operations.
    Mr John Okwori, Head, Ports Inspection Directorate (PID), NAFDAC, Enugu/Anambra Outstation, gave the advice at a one-daystakeholders’ meeting held on Friday in Awka.
    Okwori said  that harping on the matter followed the recent handover of Onitsha Inland River Port to a new operator.
    He explained that due to the development, NAFDAC was  hoping that business activities would soon pick up at Onitsha Port.
    “The Federal Government has made Onitsha a port of destination and departure and by this , business activities will soon blossom at the port.
    “All what is now needed is for importers and exporters to be knowledgeable,  be equipped and be armed with  the basic information on the usage of the ports  to ensure seamless businesses,” he said.
    Okwori said that the agency had automated its operations, noting that one would not require to visit NAFDAC office to obtain necessary documents to  export or import products.
    Giving more insight on the concessioned Onitsha Inland River Port, he said that goods coming into the port  would no longer require to stop over at either Onne or Lagos Port.
    Okwori encouraged importers and exporters to show more interest in the  Onitsha Port and the Bonded Terminals in the area, assuring  them that the agency would ensure smooth operations at the ports.
    Mr Tenalo Princewill, an official of NAFDAC who delivered a paper on ‘Enhancement of Clearance Process at the Ports, Seaports Land Borders and Bonded Terminals’, said  that the agency’s automation was for transparent business transactions.
    Princewill said that at physical inspection level, if violations were encountered, the timely release of container could be delayed.
    He listed categories of violations to include: documentary level (false declaration), product packaging violations, labeling lapses, unapproved pictorial and importation with permit among others.
    Mr Uzoma Ihembiri, another official of the agency who delivered another  paper on ‘Enrollment of Clearance Processes at the Ports’,  advised importers and exporters against violation of the rules.
    He advised them to always use the Federal Government’s trade portal, adding that  every process had been designed for users.
    Mr Lambert Kalu,  the Area Manager of the Nigeria Shippers Council, Onitsha,  said that  the council had beamed its searchlights on the activities of alleged fraudulent persons who had constituted problems to legitimate activities at the ports.
    The meeting was attended by representatives of importers, exporters, clearing agents, Customs, terminal operators, Nigeria Shippers Council and others stakeholders.
    NAN

  • NAFDAC warns against too much use of bleaching cosmetics

    By Aderogba George

    The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) hàs warned Nigerians against too much use of bleaching cosmetics, saying it could lead to skin cancer.
    This is contained in a statement signed by the agency’s media consultant, Mr Olusayo Akintola, and made available to newsmen on Sunday in Abuja.
    The statement disclosed that the Director General of the agency, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, gave the admonition over the weekend at the brainstorming session of a two-day top management meeting of the agency in Lagos.
    Adeyeye said that an abusive use of cosmetics could even lead to internal damage of body organs as well as cause death.
    She expressed shock at the proliferation of beauticians engaged in formulation of unauthorized chemicals with the intention of applying them on their unsuspecting clients.
    According to the NAFDAC boss, majority of SPA outlets in the nation’s cosmopolitan cities are culpable of the unhealthy practice of mixing chemicals and natural products like pawpaw, carrot and others to make creams, for the clients’ use.
    Adeyeye said that the formulation was thereafter packaged, labeled, and sold online to clients, adding that SPA owners have gone further to influence some clinics with medical doctors joining to carry out these nefarious activities.
    She said that the practice had advanced to the extent that vitamin C infusion and glutathione was injected into the
    substances and applied on clients.
    She explained further that the challenges in the enforcement of the agency’s safety regulations on bleaching agents, SPAs and other beauty parlors was that the products were prepared extemporaneously and covertly for individual clients.
    According to her, rarely can you see the offending products on the shelves of these facilities and warned that the practice must stop as anyone apprehended by the agency would be prosecuted and jailed if convicted.
    She disclosed that most of the products used in the mixure were smuggled into the country and unregistered, citing formulations containing Kojic Acid, and Hydroquinone above their permissible substance limits.
    According to her, all these products which have substance above their permissible limits are at risk of causing harm, and that it is for the same safety reason that the use of mercury is banned in cosmetics.
    “We don’t just ban products because they are bleaching agents but are prohibited because of safety issues surrounding particular ingredients in the products as they could cause skin cancer as well as damage the liver and kidney.
    “The lightening of skin today can be cancer tomorrow, many of the importers smuggle the products into the country under the guise of Global listing to bypass NAFDAC inspection.
    ‘Bleaching has become a pandemic amongst both women and their male counterparts; the agency is on the heels of some people who engaged in online sales of dangerous unauthorized cosmetics and other products.
     “Investigation and enforcement Directorate of NAFDAC has been given the directive to apprehend merchants of these dangerous products and bring them to book, ” she stressed.
    She therefore emphasised that the agency was not against the use of cosmetics, but they must be regulated and confirmed safe for human use.
    She said that the agency would uphold its mandate of citizens protection, by ensuring that the quality and safety of goods produced internally and imported into the country went through processes that met global best practices.
    NAN

  • NAFDAC trains 564 health workers on med safety tool for E-reporting

    By Stella Kabruk

    The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) said that it had trained 564 health workers on med safety tool for E- reporting of Adverse Event Following Immunisation (AEFI).

    The state Coordinator, Nasiru Mato, stated this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Kaduna.

    He said that as vaccine-preventable infectious diseases continue to decline, people had become increasingly concerned about the risks associated with vaccines.

    He said that the trained health officials were drawn from both primary and secondary health facilities.

    Mato described AEFI as an untoward medical occurrence which follows immunisation but does not necessarily have a causal relationship with the usage of the vaccine.

    He said that vaccine-associated adverse events might affect healthy individuals and should be promptly identified to allow additional research and appropriate action.

    He said that  the World Health Organisation (WHO) had established a Global Advisory Committee on vaccine safety in order to respond promptly, efficiently, and with scientific rigour to vaccine safety issues.

    The coordinator said that NAFDAC plays a vital role in ensuring that all medicines available to the consumer are safe, qualitative and efficacious adding that the safety of medicines is critical in any healthcare system

    “Continuous monitoring has been identified as a centre point and critical toward the attainment of this goal.

    “Core stakeholders and healthcare providers at all levels have an important role to play in this regard, hence, the need to remain abreast with the skill on the use of the globally accepted electronic-based *MED SAFETY* tool for reporting of adverse event following immunisation.

    “It is in view of this that NAFDAC in conjunction with the African Field Epidemiology Network (AFENET), and the Kaduna State Primary Care Board (KSPHCDB) conducted refresher hands-on practical training sessions for some of their personnel.

    Mato said that the training was for Disease Surveillance Notification Officers (DSNOs), Monitoring Evaluation Officers (MEOs), Local Government Cold Chain Officers (LCCOs) and Local Government Immunisation Officers (LIOs) in the 23 local government areas (LGAs) of Kaduna State.

    NAN