Nigeria, Israel Join Forces to Combat Sub-standard Drugs

Ayodeji Ake

In a bid to end manufacturing and distribution of sub-standard drugs, the Nigerian government, through the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), and the Israeli government have joined force to improve pharmacovigilance in the country.

Speaking at a three-day capacity building for NAFDAC staff, themed ‘ Serialisation and Pharmacovigilance Seminar’, recently held in Lagos, the Director General, NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, said the workshop was organised to further strengthen the existing relationship between Nigeria and Isreal, and also to train NAFDAC staff on how to reduce the incidence of sub-standard drugs.

She said: “I have no doubt that this collaboration will help in addressing concerns of substandard and falsified medicines, and strengthen pharmacovigilance activities in the country.

“I am also optimistic that our countries will benefit immensely from this collaboration and therefore call for concerted efforts to sustain this for its mutual benefit.

Adeyeye said all drugs manufactured, imported and distributed in Nigeria must be registered with NAFDAC for quality management.

“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 sales in Nigeria” she said.
Representing the Ministry of Health of the State of Isreal, Ambassador Ben- Shoshan said the collaboration was mainly knowledge sharing, adding that this was done for the good of mankind.

The Commissioner for Health, Lagos State, Dr. Jide Idris said: “It is essential that we also look at it from the perspective of public health because it’s everybody’s business and the pharmaceutical companies also have a role to play in public