By: TUNDE BOLAJI MINNA.
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) in Niger state has sensitized medicine dealers on safe drug distribution practices tagged “Regulatory Compliance.
State Coordinator of NAFDAC Pharm. James King, said the workshop was in collaboration with the National Association of Patent and Proprietary Medicine Dealers (NAPPMED), Niger State chapter.
He said the workshop aimed to equip dealers with the necessary knowledge and skills to navigate the complex regulatory environment and ensure compliance with the agency’s guidelines.
Kigbu emphasized that the importance of regulatory compliance in ensuring the safety and efficiency of pharmaceutical products to effectively to protect public health.
“The aim of this workshop is to refresh and most importantly to equip you to adapt so as to be able to navigate the multi-dimensional changes going on,” he said.
He outlined the agency’s five operational strategic pillars which includes; strong leadership and governance and institutionalization of best practices.
Others he said were safety and quality of regulated products, continuous monitoring along the supply chain and efficient financial and performance management.
Kigbu enjoined the patent dealers to take advantage of the innovative technological tools rolled out by NAFDAC such as the use social media handles, Med Safety App for reporting adverse reactions and NAFDAC green book identification of suspected fake products.
The coordinator cautioned the dealers about the consequences of violating the regulations, saying that medicines were not to be treated as common commodities.
He noted that NAFDAC recent recognition by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a maturity level 3 agency was a testament to the agency strong leadership and commitment to enforcing guidelines and standards in line with international best practices.
He urged the patent medicine dealers to collaborate with the agency to retain its status and march towards achieving level 4, the highest level.
In his address Igwe Otti, Chairman of NAPPMED in Niger state, said the sensitisation would equip its members with relevant information on the pharmaceutical industry.
“As major stakeholders in the healthcare delivery system of the his nation, it becomes necessary for us to be well equipped with the relevant information, happenings and events in the pharmaceutical industries,” he said.
Otti encouraged participants to ask questions and engage freely during the programme in areas they were not cleared.
