Moji Adeyeye, the Director-General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), has revealed that inadequate funding and a shortage of staff are hindering efforts to combat the proliferation of fake products in Nigeria. Adeyeye expressed concern over the agency’s limited capacity to conduct nationwide surveillance due to a scarcity of resources.
She disclosed that NAFDAC has only 2,000 staff to cover a population of 215 million, emphasizing the stark contrast with South Korea, which has a similar regulatory agency with 3,000 staff for a population of 50 million. Adeyeye attributed part of the problem to the internal generation of 95% of the agency’s funding.
During an interview on Channels TV, Adeyeye stated that the agency had presented its concerns to the National Assembly, but significant improvements have not been realized. She highlighted the acquisition of 40 pieces of true scan devices for detecting substandard and falsified medicines, with staff currently undergoing training for quantitative assessments.
Adeyeye acknowledged the challenges posed by porous borders and emphasized the need to secure these entry points to prevent the influx of substandard products. She urged consumers to purchase products from reputable marketers, avoid roaming marketers, and provided a hotline (800163322) for consumers to verify products and report concerns.
The Director-General also encouraged consumers to scan product barcodes to ascertain the source and authenticity of the items they purchase.
This revelation underscores the critical need for increased support, both in funding and manpower, to empower regulatory agencies like NAFDAC in safeguarding public health and ensuring the integrity of products in the market.
Source: Business Day