NAFDAC endorses four UN life-saving commodities production for women, children

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has approved the production of four United Nations life saving commodities for women and children. The commodities include: chlorhexidine gel used in neonatal umbilical cord care, amoxicillin dispersible tablet used in Pneumonia, Zinc Sulphate for diarrhoea and misoprostol.

Announcing this at a two-day Common Technical Document, CTD, workshop in Lagos, the Director General of NAFDAC, Dr. Paul Orhii said Nigerians now have improved access to locally produced safe, efficacious and affordable medicines.

Orhii explained that some of the drugs before now were not manufactured in the whole of Africa.

Giving further insight into the life saving commodities, he explained that the agency decided to give its technical assistance towards the production of these drugs to make Nigeria self-sufficient in the manufacture and supply of quality, safe and efficacious medicines at affordable prices.

Continuing he added: “We have actively encouraged the local pharmaceutical industry to work towards attaining WHO prequalification which will facilitate access to medicines that meet unified standards of quality, safety and efficacy for HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis.”

Represented by the Director of Registration and Regulatory Affairs, NAFDAC, Dr. Monica Hemben Eimunjeze, he explained that the CTD workshop was one of the strategies adopted to ensure access to quality regulated medicines in the sub region.

L-R: Executive Secretary, Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Group of Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, Mr. Olakunle Okelola; Director, Registration and Regulatory Affairs, National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, Dr. Monica Eimunjeze and the Head, Drug Evaluation and Registration Department, Food and Drug Administration, Ghana, Dr. Mercy Acquaye, during NAFDAC’s Common Technical Document Workshop in Lagos ...recently
According to him, the agency   has   fostered   collaboration   with   relevant   international organizations to support its drive to ensure processes are in line with best global practice.

Orhii said also said that the collaboration include the engagements with the World Health Organization (WHO) through the agency’s participation in the Collaborative Procedure for Registration of WHO   Prequalified   Medicines   as   well   as   Expedited   Procedure   for

Registration of the world health body prequalified vaccines.

“We now have World-class regulatory staff as a result of NAFDAC-WHO and NAFDAC-Global   Fund   joint   activities   and   trainings;   unprecedented secondment of   NAFDAC Staff to the WHO in Geneva in 2015. The agency has joined the WHO Prequalification team as consultant assessors since January 2015,” he said

The NAFDAC boss also said that the agency has keyed into the United Nations Commission Life Saving Commodities for Women and Children (UNCoLSC) programme which seeks to improve access to the 13 life-saving commodities and has worked with several partners such as the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI) to build systems and pathways to facilitate access to these products.

“In order to increase efficiency, application pathways have been streamlined,” Orhii said, adding; “We are fostering greater collaboration with other government agencies, civil society and professional organizations.”

He further said that the agency is establishing and building closer ties with other nations and international organizations to ensure importation of good, quality, safe and efficacious medicines and other regulated products into Nigeria which has resulted in remarkable landmark achievements.

The NAFDAC DG said: “We have also partnered with stakeholders to build capacity of professionals, serving as Resource in several areas such as a biopharmaceuticals and biosmilars, cosmetic regulation and product development.

“In 2013, the Mycotoxin and Pesticide Residue Laboratory obtained ISO 17025 laboratory accreditation by the American Association for Laboratory Accreditation (A2LA).

In October 2014, an extension to the scope of this accreditation was obtained with the Food Chemistry Laboratory also becoming accredited.

“In December 2014, the Central Drug Control Laboratory, Yaba obtained ISO 17025 accreditation from the Ansi-ASQ National Accreditation Board (ANAB),” Orhii added.


This story was published in Newswatch Times on February 11, 2016.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Insurgency: Nigerian Army Clears 25 More Children Of Links With Armed Groups, Says UNICEF

Image
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has said Thursday that 25 more children had been freed from Nigerian Army administrative custody having been cleared of suspected links with armed groups. With this number, a total of 44 children had been released this year, bringing the number to 1,627 children since 2016, that is four years now, the UN agency for children has said. UNICEF which announced this in a press statement signed by its Communication Specialist, Dr. Geoffrey Njoku, specifically said, “Twenty-three boys and two girls were released today from Nigerian Army administrative custody after being cleared of suspected ties with armed groups. This brings the number of children released this year to 44,” it added. It bemoaned the discrimination, deprivation and cruelty which the children have suffered. “These are children taken away from their families and communities, deprived of their childhood, education, health-care, and of the chance to grow up in a safe and enabling envir
Read more

Limited Information Frustrates Young Women From Using Family Planning

Image
BY CHIOMA UMEHA, Awareness and proper understanding of family planning has been recognised to reduce maternal death among young women of reproductive age between 15 and 49. Data on Sexual Reproductive Health outcomes in Nigeria stresses the importance of focusing on adolescents. At 576 maternal death per 1,000 live births, Nigeria accounts for 14 percent of the global burden of maternal mortality (NDHS 2013/WHO 2014). Global evidence shows that young girls bear a higher burden of maternal mortality and morbidity. Data shows that the average age at sexual debut is roughly 15 years of age among adolescent mothers in Nigeria. (NDHS 2003, 2008, 2013). The National adolescent fertility rate in Nigeria is 122 births per 1,000 women aged 15 to 19 years. In the North Western States, it is as high as 171 births per 1,000 women aged 15 to 19 years. To stem this, the government of Lagos State with support from partners and other donor agencies has put in place youth-friendly he
Read more

PSN President Commissions ACPN National Secretariat

Image
Chioma Umeha History was made among the community pharmacists recently, as the national body of the Association of Community Pharmacists (ACPN) inaugurated its National Secretariat at Ikeja, Lagos State. The event was graced by many notable personalities in the pharmaceutical sector including, Pharm. Ahmed Yakasai, the president of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) who commissioned the befitting edifice. Other notable guests at the event were – Dr. UNO Uwaga, the Chairman of the Board of Trustees for ACPN; Pharm. Bukky George, the Managing Director of Healthplus, among many former presidents of different pharmaceutical bodies. Pharm. Yakasai stated that it was a thing of joy for him to see this development come to light. He said that he is ‘a proud father’ as the inauguration of the building was a “testimony of when you have a proud son who can carry out directives.” He described the secretariat as “A home for all pharmacists across board.”
Read more