June 5, 2018

The National Agency for Foods and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) says it will partner academic and research institutes for effective monitoring and safety of new drugs in the country.

NAFDAC Director-General, Prof. Moji Adeyeye told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Abuja that already collaborations had began with a number of stakeholders towards achieving this objective.

She disclosed that NAFDAC is in partnership with the University of Benin (UNIBEN), Institute of Human Virology Nigeria (IHVN), National Tuberculosis and Leprosy Control Programme (NTBLCP) and the KNCV Tuberculosis Foundation.

Adeyeye added that the partnership is supported by PharmacoVigilance Africa (PAVIA) Project through a grant from European and Developing Countries Clinical Trial Partnership (EDCTP).

She said that the aim of the PAVIA project is to improve the readiness of Sub-Saharan African health systems to effectively deliver new medical products and to monitor post-market safety.

Medical Research Institutes (MRI) in Nigeria, Tanzania, Ethiopia and Swaziland are collaborating with National Pharmacovigilance Centres (NPC) and Public Health Programmes to strengthen drug safety monitoring.

NAN reports that NAFDAC, IHVN, UniBen, NTBLCP and KNCV Tuberculosis Foundation Nigeria participated in PAVIA kick off meeting held in Dar el Salam, Tanzania in April.

NAFDAC is responsible for regulating and controlling the manufacture, importation, exportation, advertisement, distribution, sale and use of food, drugs, cosmetics, medical devices, chemicals and packaged water in Nigeria.

The Agency is currently headed by Prof. Moji Adeyeye.