Blog

By Abujah Racheal

Abuja:  The Minister of State for Health, Sen. Adeleke Mamora, has pleaded with the National Agency for Food, Drugs Administration and Control, (NAFDAC), to slash product listing cost for traditional medicines, with a view to improving access to Universal Health Coverages (UHC) in Nigeria.

Mamora made the plea during a visit by the World Health Organisation(WHO) to Nigeria to monitor the clinical trials on herbal medicines proposed for the treatment of COVID-19, on Monday in Abuja.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that NAFDAC has also taken steps to protect the health of consumers by drafting the ‘Guidelines’ for the Registration and Control of Herbal Medicinal Products and Related Substances in Nigeria.

Three broad classes are defined in the Guidelines, and preparations will be considered under four categories, each of which has its protocol. Extemporaneous preparations are only to be listed and not registered or advertised.

Post-listing evaluation/monitoring is, however, mandatory. Herbal medicinal products manufactured on a large scale, whether imported or locally manufactured, must be registered and their advertisement messages and scripts approved by NAFDAC prior to their marketing.

Homeopathic medicinal products must be registered and their advertisement messages approved prior to marketing. Post-registration evaluation/monitoring is also mandatory for both large-scale herbal medicinal products and homeopathic products.

He said that the task assigned to the National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRD) and NAFDAC was to scale up their activities towards the search for a local solution to the pandemic and other diseases.

The Minister said the reduction of the charges would encourage operators of Micro Small and Medium Enterprises, MSMEs, to list their products to make things easy for the MSMEs during the listing process and encourage clinic trials as well.

He also disclosed that the FMoH had inaugurated an expert committee as a protocol of evaluation of herbal medicinal products as a way of promoting research, saying that a database of traditional medicine practitioners had been developed for ease of collaboration, research and promotion of traditional medicine in the country.

“The federal government is also working on a traditional medicine policy and a committee to set up a traditional medicine institute which was triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic,” he explained.

Mamora also called on the African region to come up with several approach for promoting collaboration with a view to improving access to UHC in the region.

He noted that strengthening collaboration between practitioners of Conventional and Traditional Medicine is crucial for the integration of traditional medicine into regional health systems.

“For this purpose, the region should have a critical role to play for the scientific validation of the products and practices of traditional medicine,” he explained.

Earlier, the team lead of the WHO, Prof. Joseph Okeibunor, Regional Immunization Social Scientist with the World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa, said that the mission is in Nigeria to monitor the clinical trials on herbal medicines proposed for the treatment of COVID-19.

Okeibunor reiterated WHO’s continuous support to the the Government of Nigeria in its goal of achieving self-sufficiency in the local production of traditional medicine.

Emphasising the importance of African Traditional Medicine in the development of the health sector, he said that Africa has a long history of traditional medicines and practitioners who play an important role in providing care to populations over centuries.

The Managing Director, Ruzu Herbal Products, Dr. Robert Onyemaechi Uzu, said that herbal medicines have been actively used as complementary medicine treatments of COVID-19.

“Many countries have conducted clinical trials and research studies on COVID-19 to find a cure as quickly as possible.

“A major part of these studies also included herbal medicine as an adjuvant along with Western medicine or alone and reported somewhat better results. In India, more than half of the COVID-19 related studies registered are from herbal medications,” he explained.

He noted that all of the formulation is what can be found in Nigeria and of cause across the region.

“Our traditional system of medicine in Nigeria has recommended certain herbal formulation for the prevention, management, and recovery from certain diseases, including the COVID-19,” he added.

According to Mr Khalifah Onu, Managing Director, CBS Agro Limited, producers of The Hogargilem Natural Drink, “it is estimated that about four billion people or 80 per cent of the world’s total population in developing countries depend on herbal medicines as primary health care.

Onu said that about 25,000 herbal formulas and extracts have been used in traditional medicines in the South Asian subcontinent, noting that in China, approximately 40 per cent of total healthcare services relies on herbal drug.

He said that it would be great for Nigerians to accept and use herbal medicines that are now expanding at much faster rate in developed countries like UK and other European nations, North America and Australia.

Meanwhile, Zainab Sharif, Director and Head of Department Traditional, Complementary & Alternative Medicines (TCAM), in the FMOH, has called for more supports to enable TCAM practitioners do clinical trials on herbal studies and also be trained in the country.

Sharif noted that from the beginning of COVID-19 infection, a large number of clinical studies have reported and highlighted the benefits of herbal remedies for COVID-19 management.

She added that numerous systematic reviews have been conducted to evaluate the efficacy of herbs in the treatment of COVID-19, and other illnesses, including evidence from various case reports, case series, and observational studies.

According to her, to do official clinical trial, you must write a protocol, you must pass it through the National Health Research Ethical Committee (NHREC), and you must pass it through NAFDAC.”

She said the agency has not given any pass mark as regards COVID-19 herbal medicine, but that the agency has approved some herbal medicines that they claim can alleviate some of the symptoms of COVID-19.

NAN recalls that the review will focus on the assessment of the efficacy and side effects of herbal medicine supplementation with Western medicine in the treatment of COVID-19, through screening of available randomized controlled trials (RCT).

This will be done with a multiple herbal formulations in the management of COVID-19 patients. It will be evaluated for effectiveness and safety. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng/ Flowerbudnews

By Habibu Harisu

Sokoto:  The National Agency for Food, Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has seized 110 cartons of expired flavoured powdered drinks in Sokoto state.

The state NAFDAC Coordinator, Mr Adamu Garba said this when he spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Sokoto on Wednesday.

Garba said that items valued at N1million were seized during raids in markets and other places aimed at ridding the state of unregulated and expired products.

He listed some of the confiscated items to include foster Clark, Tiara and other powdered juice, flavoured and carbonated drinks.

“The drinks are in high demand during the hot season, particularly during Ramadan fast.

“This necessitated the mop up exercise across markets in the state before, during and even after the Ramadan in order to safeguard the health of the people.

“About 110 cartons of the expired and unwholesome drinks, as well as unregistered concentrate flavored chemicals have been seized,” Garba said.

The coordinator said the exercise was conducted in Sokoto central market and other places, saying that such operations would continue in markets, supermarkets and provision stores in the state.

The NAFDAC official appealed to the general public to report any retailer selling expired or unregistered products to either NAFDAC office or the nearest police station.

Garba said that the agency has also embarked on audit of all bakeries in the state, especially those located in rural areas to ensure that people patronise only safe and wholesome products.(NAN) (www.nannews.ng)/Flowerbudnews

By Aderogba George

By Franca Ofili

Abuja:  The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC)
on Friday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC)
to sensitise the grassroots on the danger of fake drugs and substandard products.

The Director-General of the agency, Prof. Moji Adeyeye, said this in Abuja on Friday during the signing of the MoU.

Adeyeye said that the agency’s mandate was to protect and promote the health of citizens.

She added that “we have been working to ensure that the agency is seen at the local level and so with the MoU, youth
corps members will be at their door steps.”

She explained that youth corps members would also assist to educate the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME)
and the Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) on how to run their businesses.

According to her, SMEs are the backbone of any economy, as well as important contributor to employment and economic growth.

She maintained that SMEs also play major role in most economies, saying “we need to eradicate fake drugs, food and other
unwholesome regulated substances to protect the Nigerian populace from their dangerous effects.”

She said youth corps members would be trained to enable them properly carry out their duties.

The NAFDAC boss said the NYSC had a good structure in different parts of the country as such would be a good advantage to the agency.

According to her, the agency has started doing e-registration and the corps members will be available to educate and sensitise the business owners.

“NYSC has a good structure in place, so we will utilise it at the grassroots,’’ she said.

Maj.-Gen. Shuaibu Ibrahim, the Director General of NYSC, said youth corps members would be ready to carry out any activities assigned to them.

Ibrahim, who was represented by Mr Ahmed Tijani, Director, Legal Services, said NYSC members had been trained to carry out programmes
assigned to them, as they were found in all the local government in the country.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)/Flowerbudnews

By Aderogba George

Abuja: The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has warned the public to avoid use of Van Law Food’s Organic Creamy Caesar Dressing, as the product recalled for undeclared Soy and Wheat allergens.

The warning is contained in a public alert by the Director-General of the agency, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, issued to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Abuja.

Adeyeye said in the alert that Van Law Food Products, an Incorporation of Fullerton, California is issuing a voluntary recall of Whole Foods Market 365 Organic Creamy Caesar Dressing because it may contain undeclared Soy and Wheat allergens.

She stated that the recall was initiated after it was discovered that the product was distributed in packaging that did not reveal the presence of Soy and Wheat allergen.

According to Adeyeye, people who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to Soy or Wheat run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume the products.

The NAFDAC boss added that subsequent investigation indicated that the problem was caused by a temporary breakdown in Van Law Food Product’s labeling and packaging processes.

NAFDAC, however, implored importers, distributors, retailers, healthcare providers and consumers to exercise caution in the importation, distribution, sale and use of the recalled lots.

The agency also advised members of the public who are in possession of the recalled lots product to discontinue sale and use or handover stock to the nearest NAFDAC office.

NAFDAC encourages healthcare professionals, consumers and patients to report adverse events related to the use of the product to the nearest NAFDAC office, or via NAFDAC PRASCOR (20543 TOLLS FREE from all networks).

The agency also advised Nigerians to report any adverse events via pharmacovigilance@nafdac.gov.ng or via the NAFDAC ADR e-Reporting platform available at www.nafdac.gov.ng. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)/Flowerbudnews

By Aderogba George

Abuja:  The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has again warned Nigerians to desist from the habit of adding chemicals to food for whatever reasons.

The Director-General of the agency, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, gave the warning on Monday in Abuja in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

Adeyeye was reacting to alleged mixing of chemicals like Jatropha Curcas leaves, hypo detergent and potash with Akpu, which is also known as Fufu, to make it rise, be soft and ferment.

NAN reports that such practice was allegedly done in some parts of Ondo and Ekiti states, especially in the popular Fufu Market at Oke Lisa Street, Adjacent A-Division in Akure.

The practice was also alleged to be going on at Ilu-Abo, Owode, Ogbese, Igbara-Oke, Igbara-Odo, Ifaki-Ekiti, Oba-Ile, all in Ondo and Ekiti, to make more gains.

The NAFDAC director-general said that the agency was aware of the alleged practice and warned those indulging in the act to desist.

She said that the agency recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) where youth corps members would be made to sensitise citizens on such practices at the grassroots.

She added that “it is true what some people do, but it is not all Fufu that have hypo-chloride in it.

“This is why the engagement of the corps members is necessary, to explain to the people that they don’t need to add any chemical, except salt and sugar and must also be minimised.

“Too much salt could cause hypertension later-on in life, too much sugar, you are playing with diabetics, you don’t have to put chemical on food to make it to rise or whatsoever reasons.

“Fufu has been an ancient food and chemical had never been added to it.

“I don’t know what these people actually mean, may be to make it to rise or soften it, this has affected so many people’s health but the NYSC will be at hand to educate the people. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)/ Flowerbudnews