By Asmau Ahmad
Dr Osahon Enabulele, the immediate past National President, Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), has lauded the reformative efforts of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) in 2014. Enabulele gave the commendation in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Lagos.
He said that the agency`s effort in 2014 to achieve zero incidence of fake and counterfeit foods and drug products had, to some extent, boosted the confidence of Nigerians.
“The efforts of NAFDAC cannot be undermined in 2014 in terms of its very vigorous attempt to live up to its mandate of eradicating the scourge of fake and counterfeit drugs and food products. “And like you know, the agency`s efforts to get international accreditation for more of its laboratories was also very remarkable. “And that of course put Nigeria in a good stead to carry on with the struggle and crusade to eliminate the whole scourge of fake and counterfeit drugs.
“Again, the agency`s efforts to get more drug manufacturing companies, GMP Certified-Goods Manufacturing Practice, also was very remarkable coupled with stiff implementation of the available drug laws, including the Drug Prescription Law, which allows only licensed doctors, dentists and veterinary doctors to prescribe prescription-only-drugs.
“I expect that NAFDAC in 2015 will record better gains in its efforts to achieve zero incidence of fake and adulterated food and drug products and this hopefully will boost the confidence of Nigerians in the country`s food and drug markets.’’ NAN reports that NAFDAC in 2014 got international accreditation by the National Board of American Society for Quality for five of its drug laboratories across the country to boost production and export potential of indigenous industries. The laboratories include the Regional Drug Laboratory, the Mycotoxin Laboratory, the Pesticides Laboratory, the Food Laboratory and High Performance Liquid Chromatography laboratory.
