FG to upgrade laboratories to reduce prevalence of substandard, falsified drugs

The Federal Government has disclosed plans to upgrade its testing laboratories across the country so as to reduce the prevalence of substandard and falsified medical products in the country.

It said this became imperative to safeguard the health of its citizens.

The Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, made the disclosure at the third annual African Medicine Quality Forum (AMQF) organised by the National Agency for Food Administration and Control (NAFDAC), in Abuja.

He said the forum is working in partnership with other international organizations like the World Bank, Global Fund among others to ensure that only safe medicines are available in the country and Africa.

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“This idea resonates very well in the mandate of the government of Nigeria to safeguard the health of our citizens. I am particularly delighted that African Medicine Quality Forum (AMQF) is working in collaboration with the African Medicine Quality Forum (AMQF) the African Medicine Regulation and harmonisation, World Bank and the Global Fund among others to establish mechanism to ensure that only and efficacious safe medicines are available in Africa and by implication in Nigeria,” he said.

He affirmed that Nigeria’s healthcare system is being threatened by the menace, resulting in “Prolonged treatment, drug resistance, loss of income and financial resources, disability and loss of faith in the healthcare system.”

However, he noted that the country, through the National Agency for Food Administration and Control (NAFDAC), currently operates seven testing laboratories for medicines, four of which are ISO 17025 accredited.

He further disclosed that an eighth lab would be commissioned later in the year.

His words: “NAFDAC presently operates 7 labs in Nigeria , four of which ISO 17025 accredited and 8 labs will be commissioned sometime this year, as we work towards WHO pre-qualification for all our labs.”

To this end, he urged the forum to develop a framework to conduct regular medicines quality surveys across regional and national boundaries.

This, he said is aimed at providing the government with reliable data on the distribution of substandard and falsified medicines, and also for planning safe healthcare delivery to our citizens.