African countries set action plan for medicine traceability

AFRICAN countries have expressed their commitment to pursue pharmaceutical traceability as a measure to strengthen the healthcare system and ensure the protection of the patient’s health.

Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, the NAFDAC Director-General, and Chair, Steering Committee African Medicines Regulatory Harmonisation (AMRH), said this was part of the national and regional strategic planning.

Adeyeye made the commitment on behalf of the countries on Tuesday at the ongoing 2nd African GS1 Healthcare Conference in Lagos.

She said that the pharmaceutical traceability plan would increase the patient’s safety through mitigating the risk of entry of substandard and falsified medicines into the legitimate supply chain.

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“We signify our intent to improve reliable access to essential commodities through supply chain efficiencies and stock availability.

“To provide data-driven visibility of health commodities in national supply chains and stronger interoperability with global supply chains.

“To promote trust in the public and private pharmaceutical sectors and healthcare system through supply chain security,” the NAFDAC director-general said.

She said that the long-term process would uphold the value of existing global supply chain standards in the pursuit of its interoperability.

Adeyeye acknowledged that different national efforts would be implemented at different rates to achieve the plan.

She said that the plan would establish robust health commodity procurement guidelines that mutually reinforce broader traceability.

Also, Mrs Margaret Ndomondo-Sigonda, Head, Health Programmes, African Union-New Partnership for Africa’s Development, (AU-NEPAD), said at the national and regional level, countries would collaborate and work with the private sector and development partners.

Ndomondo-Sigonda said that they would create a sustainable governance structure that were country-driven, collaborative and coordinated across the government agencies.

According to her, strengthen regulatory policies and procedures including standardised health labelling guidelines that reinforce pharmaceutical traceability goals.

Ndomondo-Sigonda said that the plan would boost investment in health system infrastructure that would enable verification, track and trace of pharmaceuticals through the supply chain.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that 35 African countries including Nigeria, Ghana, Malawi, Ethiopia, Egypt, amongst others signed onto the plan.

NAN