By Chioma Umeha
The National Agency for Food and Drug
Administration and Control, NAFDAC, has urged the federal government not to
implement the recommendation by Governor Nasir El-Rufai-led reform panel
proposal to move drug matters to the concurrent list.
Presently, the drugs and poisons matters are on
the Exclusive List (item 21 of part I of the second schedule of the 1999
constitution), but the El-Rufai-led reform panel, had recommended its removal.
In a statement by the Director- General of NAFDAC,
Prof. Mojisola Christianah Adeyeye, on the proposed decentralization of drug
regulation in Nigeria, the agency declared that such recommendation portended
great danger for the nation.
According to Adeyeye, the reasons for placing
drugs and poisons on the exclusive legislative list by countries were to ensure
firm control on drugs and drug-related matters by the federal government.
Cautioning further on such moves, she said other
reasons for placing drugs and poisons on the exclusive legislative list by
countries were to ensure that prescription and enforcement of grades and
minimum standards of quality for drugs and drug products and prevention of drug
misuse and abuse by central regulatory control on substances of abuse.
She said: “It also ensures the protection of
patent rights for innovators of medicines to prevent infringement and promote
data exclusivity; entrenchment of a rational and properly structured drug
distribution system; enhancement of compliance with Trade-Related aspects of
Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) agreement and strengthening of regulatory
mechanisms in line with globalization and medicines regulatory harmonization.
No nation ever compromises the well-being of its
citizens by way of liberalizing and decentralizing medicine legislation.
A thorough analysis of global best practices
showed that where regulatory controls are placed on the exclusive legislative
list, the prevalence of counterfeiting and other drug-related vices are at the
lowest ebb.”
Adeyeye further explained that the nation had over
the years put in place several policies and measures to ensure drug security
and improved healthcare delivery in the country, saying
“Some of these measures include a national drug
policy which is targeted amongst other objectives to make available at all
times to the Nigerian populace adequate supplies of drugs that are effective,
affordable, safe and of good quality.”
