The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) sustained fight against regulated product counterfeiting has awakened international consciousness that Nigeria is no longer a dumping ground for fake and substandard products.
The Director General of NAFDAC, Dr. Paul Orhii made this assertion during the inauguration of Cross River States NAFDAC Local Government Desk Officers in Calabar. The Director General who was represented by NAFDAC Coordinator in the state; Mr. Kayode Fagboyo observed that NAFDAC activities has led to increase En production capacities of local pharmaceutical industries.
“NAFDAC war against counterfeiting has led to increase in production capacities of local pharmaceutical industries to over 40% from 25%; and in their numbers from 70 to 150 in the last eight year,” he said.
Dr. Orhii pointed out that the agency is spearheading global effort in the use of Truscan a hand held devise to detect counterfeit medicines on the spot, adding that NAFDAC is also running a pilot mobile anti-counterfeiting system which uses SMS technology to put the power of detecting counterfeits in the hands of the consumers.
“There is continuous upward movement in the share prices of the pharmaceutical companies quote in the Stock Exchange and many multinational pharmaceutical companies,” he noted. He also said that confidence level of made-in-Nigeria products has greatly increased.
The Director General therefore, solicited the support of the newly appointed LGA Desk Officers in communicating information to rural dwellers on the ill effect of drug hawking to assist NAFADAC in controlling illegal advertisement of herbal medicines and also collaborating with NAFDAC in the use of public address systems and town criers in disseminating regulatory information in various dialects in the rural areas.
The NAFDAC Coordinator Mr. Kayode Fagboyo urged the Desk Officers to take the NAFDAC message to the grassroots though public enlightenment campaigns and educating their localities on the need to patronize only NAFDAC registered products and reporting incidence of unwholesome/fake products to the agency. ###
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