NAFDAC to pharmaceutical industry: Establish Pharmacovigilance Surveillance department

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has mandated the pharmaceutical industry in Nigeria to establish a Pharmacovigilance Surveillance department as the Agency is set for full implementation of PV across the country.

Director General of NAFDAC, Professor Mojisola Adeyeye, dropped the hint on Friday at the Pharmacovigilance Inspection interactive session with Pharma Stakeholders in Lagos, where she also disclosed the preparedness of the nation to begin Malaria Vaccine Clinical trial in its resolve to exterminate the malaria scourge in Nigeria.

‘’The NAFDAC boss further explained that the pharmaceutical industry must put structures in place to ensure adequate monitoring of their products throughout the supply chain.

She, however, added that they must have strategies, goals, and clear objectives that will ensure the safe use of their products.

In a statement by the NAFDAC Resident Media Consultant, Sayo Akintola, yesterday, Prof Adeyeye pointed out that the MAHs must as a matter of importance train and further engage all relevant stakeholders along their supply chain on the need for pharmacovigilance and use of relevant reporting platforms for reporting ADRs/AEFIs to the Agency.

According to her, the sustained safety of medical products in Nigeria lies on a vast array of stakeholders and it has become imperative to continually improve on our pharmacovigilance processes for safety monitoring.

She also noted that the various public health programs involved in the importation of medical products for use in their respective programmes are regarded as marketing authorization holders for their products and she, therefore, encouraged them to establish and identify key personnel that will coordinate the activities of pharmaco vigilance within their programmes.

The NAFDAC boss, however, maintained that the six pharmacovigilance centers established across the six geopolitical zones of the country will be strengthened further to serve as convergence centers from the States to the Centre: but most importantly from the communities to the States to the Centers.
She said those centers that have been approved should also be involved, vowing to take charge of strengthening them personally.
Prof. Adeyeye also pointed out that community pharmacists are strategic in this call because they reach the populace more than any other sector with impressive records, noting that since community pharmacists are also involved with immunization delivery services, it has become imperative that their pharmacovigilance system should be inspected to ensure compliance with PV regulations and guidelines.

Going down memory lane, Prof. Adeyeye said NAFDAC since its inception had engaged in some level of activities towards ensuring the safe use of medical products in-country.