To check the influx of unregistered and counterfeit products in the country, the National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), has sought collaboration with stakeholders in the food, drug, water, cosmetics and beverage industry for proper regulation of these products, to avoid counterfeiting and its attendant health implications.
Speaking at the launch of a new set of compendium of all registered drugs, processed food, cosmetics, packaged water, medical devices and chemicals in Lagos, recently, Director-General of NAFDAC, Prof. Moji Adeyeye, said the collaboration has become necessary, considering the nation’s porous borders, adding that food and beverages, if not properly regulated by relevant stakeholders, could kill.
“Food can kill. Beverages can kill also, when they are not properly handled and regulated in line with global best practices and standards. We need to keep Nigeria and the rest of the world safe from unwholesome foods and drugs, and, to do that, approaches to regulation must imbibe global standards. Food and drug regulation is very important because I believe in taking food as medicine. So, we must pay adequate attention to the food we eat. That is why the agency has the mandate to monitor the manufacturing, distributing, advertising and sale of packaged foods, as well as drugs, to ensure that they are safe for human consumption,” she said.
The compendium was first introduced by the late director-general of NAFDAC, Prof. Dora Akunyili, as part of her concerted efforts to equip Nigerians with appropriate information that will help them distinguish between fake and unregistered drugs, processed food and other regulated products.
Adeyeye, at the launch, tagged; ‘A Day With the Director General, NAFDAC’, which focused on addressing the challenges militating against ease of doing business among Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in Nigeria, said the agency was working assiduously to strengthen its regulatory capacity to encourage MSMEs, especially now that the agency had returned to ports to effectively control the importation of unregulated products, falsified and substandard drugs.
According to her, the essence of regulation and control is to protect public health by ensuring that only the right quality regulated products were made available to the people.
Giving insight into the launch of the compendium, Adeyeye said: “The compendium is the compilation of all products registered by NAFDAC, but with a new dimension. It was one volume book but, now, it has been dissected into different product lines and volumes.
“Now, you have a compendium of all registered drugs, all registered processed foods, all registered cosmetics and packaged water. Whichever one appeals to you, you go to the section,” she explained.
Commenting on the benefit of the book in the fight against fake products, Adeyeye said the compendium is a veritable source of information to start with, as well as a reference material that people could fall back on when in search of genuine registered products.
“This is the first time, in over 10 years, that the compendium, which has increased in volume, is being revised with all registered products on the agency’s website. As at the last count, we had over 50,000 registered products, which is a sign of growth for the economy. Again, to ensure that Nigerian have access to only genuine registered products, the compendium is also available in CD form. Stakeholders should avail themselves of the book and CD,” she advised.
Adeyeye also noted that the agency had redesigned and updated its website, which consumers can use to check for original products, besides enhancing digital communication between the agency and members of the public.
She assured that the agency would remain unwavering in the fight against fake products, adding that NAFDAC was already expanding its post-marketing surveillance and research to ensure
compliance.
In their response, the stakeholders majorly from the food, water and beverage industry, pledged their continued support to the agency, assuring the NAFDAC boss of a robust partnership with the agency at all times, in order to achieve a safe and healthy
nation.
