Substandard products: NAFDAC speaks on intensive sensitization campaign

Following the high rate of unregulated products and the inherent danger it pose to public health, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control(NAFDAC) says it will begin a public sensitization campaign across the country.

The Director General NAFDAC, Professor Mojisola Adeyeye made this known at a press briefing on the occasion of flagoff of the planned action on Wednesday in Abuja.

The Director General said the significant campaign has become imperative considering the alarming rate in which substandard products are flooding the country.

Adeyeye disclosed that the campaigns will be organised in phases as the agency intends to cover all 36 states of the federation with the available resources. She added that the first phase will be held in selected states from August to September, 2021.

The NAFDAC DG mentioned that a well informed, sensitized and educated citizenry is the bedrock of effective regulation and the citizens need to be informed about the deleterious effects of unwholesome food, falsified medical products, harmful cosmetics, poor water and other substandard products.

She said “The key objective of this sensitization programme is to intensify and expand the scope of our informal and formal behaviour change especially at the grassroots.

“Communication strategies are implored in order to reach the vulnerable communities, dissemination of food and drug safety information is an important aspect of our regulatory work, It is common knowledge that Nigeria has a preponderant share of the global problem of falsified medical products and unwholesome food.

“The advent of Covid-19 Pandemic has aggravated the problem with the challenge posed by substandard and falsified Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs). The Sensitization campaigns will therefore contribute significantly to Federal Government’s concerted efforts to inform, sensitize, educate and alert the public about inherent dangers of intake and use of those spurious regulated products”.

Prof. Adeyeye further advised that patients buy medicines from only licensed Pharmacies and Medicine Stores and refuse the abuse of codeine and self-medication especially among youths.