The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control has urged Nigerians to join the fight against the circulation of counterfeit and fake medical products.
The agency stated that this could be achieved through the use of its latest verification app, the Greenbook.
The Director-General of NAFDAC, Prof Mojisola Adeyeye, made the call on Wednesday at the opening ceremony of a two-day sensitisation and awareness workshop on the Greenbook, traceability project, and paediatric policy in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
Adeyeye explained that the NAFDAC Greenbook, a comprehensive database of registered drug products in Nigeria, was introduced to help the agency counter the advanced methods used in the production and distribution of counterfeit medicines.
Adeyeye, represented by the Director of the Post-Marketing Surveillance Directorate, NAFDAC, Fraden Bitrus, emphasised that the workshop aims to ensure regulators and stakeholders work together in combating substandard and falsified medical products.
She said, “Counterfeiters have become more sophisticated in advancing their trade. Therefore, the agency is committed to using technology and modern methods to mitigate their activities, making stakeholder sensitisation essential.
“The NAFDAC Greenbook is an online resource for identifying a product’s source. Users can enter the product name, brand name, or registration number to verify its registration status.
“If the product is listed in the Greenbook, it signifies that it has been registered by NAFDAC and is considered authentic. The Greenbook serves as a tool to help consumers identify and avoid potentially fake or substandard products.”
The NAFDAC DG further revealed that Nigeria is the first country in Africa to use this technology and the second in the world.
She encouraged stakeholders in the healthcare sector to support initiatives aimed at eliminating substandard and falsified medical products and ensuring the provision of quality, safe, and effective medicines for Nigerians.
In her goodwill message, the Rivers State Commissioner for Health, Adaeze Oreh, assured the state’s commitment to working with NAFDAC to clamp down on counterfeit drugs.
Oreh, represented by the Rivers State Coordinator for Drug and Substance Abuse Control and Focal Person for Pharmacovigilance, Rivers State Ministry of Health, Quanta Dappa, commended the NAFDAC DG for her efforts in ensuring the country is free from unsafe drugs.
She said, “We are very pleased with the commitment of the NAFDAC DG and her team in eliminating these unscrupulous elements from our society.
“As a state, we have a task force on counterfeit, substandard, and fake drugs, and it is worth noting that NAFDAC is an integral part of that team. We are committed to clamping down on these unpatriotic individuals who are endangering lives.”
The NAFDAC Director for the South-South Zone, Oligbu Chukwuma, stated that measures were in place to ensure state coordinators in the zone implement necessary steps to curb the spread of counterfeit medical products.
Speaking to journalists on the sidelines of the event, Chukwuma said, “I visit the states, and they submit monthly reports on their activities, supported with evidence. This is all part of the anti-counterfeit measures in place. As you can see, there is zero tolerance for counterfeit drugs in Nigeria.”
“The Greenbook app can be downloaded via the Apple Store or Google Play Store using the link: greenbook.nafdac.gov.ng.”
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