Doris Obinna

The Director General, National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Prof Mojisola Adeyeye, has underlined the importance of patient safety saying without drug security the country would be in deep trouble.

Speaking at a seminar organised by the Embassy of the State of Israel, in Nigeria in collaboration with the Federal Government of Nigeria through NAFDAC, in Lagos, aimed at offering the global experience and expertise of Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd., she said the seminar was a bilateral agreement to help enhance facilitation of information exchange between nations as regards with healthcare and in support of the goals of the Nigeria healthcare system to provide access to universal healthcare.

According to her, “the bilateral capacity building seminar targeted for staff of NAFDAC is design to promoting collaborative activities in the health sector and the regulation of medicinal products. The efforts of the embassy of the state of Israel in Nigeria towards strengthening the existing collaboration between Nigeria and the state of Israel especially in the area of the quality of healthcare through NAFDAC are highly appreciated.

“This I have no doubt will assist in addressing concerns of sub-standard and falsified medicines and strengthen pharmacovigilance activities in the country. I am also optimistic that our country will benefit immensely from this collaboration and therefore call for concerted efforts to sustain this for the mutual benefit of both countries.”

While urging participants to participate actively, Adeye said: “I hope that knowledge gained will be applied in minimising the incidence of sub-standard and falsified products to improve pharmacovigilance activities in the country, as well as facilitate development of action plan that will be implemented that will benefit both countries.

“It is also important to emphasise that for medicines to be manufactured, imported, distributed and sold in Nigeria; they must be registered with NAFDAC. In this regard, all pharmaceutical companies that are desirous of marketing their products in Nigeria are hereby encouraged to take urgent steps to register them.

“This will not only ensure compliance with NAFDAC regulations but also facilitate their importation, distribution and sale in Nigeria.”

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According to Commissioner for Health, Jide Idris, the collaboration is a wonderful initiative in the right direction with regards to basically building capacity in the context of ensuring the quality and safety of drugs brought into the country.

While urging the public to embrace the initiative, Idris said: “It is essential that people look at it from the perceptive of public health because everybody is involved in this. Also, pharmaceutical companies should found a way of keying into it when it comes to public healthcare.

“When we talk of universal health coverage, all and sundry should have access to healthcare, quality care as well as financial protection for the poor in our society. It is important that essential medicines are safe for people to consume.

“So the training programme is beneficial for NAFDAC and because it is all about ensuring quality of drugs brought into the country and the Nigeria populace safety is ensure.”.

Also, the Deputy Head of Mission for the Embassy of Israel and Nigeria, Nadav Goren, said, the purpose of the seminar is a step in a long standing collaboration between the Ministry of Health in Israel and Nigeria.

He said: “We just signed a historical agreement for decoration of intent between NAFDAC and Israel for information sharing.

“The seminar is being conducted with some of Israel experts from Teva Pharmaceutical, one of the best company and renowned in the world in the area of pharmacovigilance and serialization.”